212 Forestry Exhibition at Doncn.tter, 1912. 



In Class 12, for Specimens of Stems and Boards, sliowing 

 the effect of dense and tbin crops, Lord Yarborough's exhibit 

 won the silver medal. It afforded the best education possible, 

 and showed most clearly the enormous advantage of dense 

 planting. The whole object of the Forestry Exhibition is 

 educational, and such exhibits as that mentioned above cannot 

 be too highly praised, as it was evident to any one glancing at 

 it that the old and bad order of forestry, when trees Avere 

 planted 6, 7, and 8 ft. apart, and then thinned out constantly, 

 could result only in ruination of the timber for commercial 

 purposes, and as to the financial result could lead but direct 

 to bankruptcy. In perhaps a lesser degree, but just as forcibly, 

 the same point is repeated over and over again thi'oughout the 

 Show, both as to branch suppression and the effects of good 

 and bad pruning. So many of the woods on the smaller 

 estates are in the immediate control of woodmen, who, although 

 they cai-ry out their duties conscientiously and well, cannot 

 be expected to know how important pruning and close planting 

 are. Their want of knowledge can be most easily and quickly 

 remedied by their attendance at the Forestry Exhibitions of 

 the Royal Agricultural Society, and it is to be hoped that all 

 owners of woodlands will endeavour to arrange for their 

 woodmen to visit whenever possible these Shows, as it is 

 certain that the benefit derived will very soon make itself 

 apparent in the improved methods of sylviculture on their 

 estates. 



The Duke of Northumberland's exhibit of the life history 

 of Scots fir wood proved to be so realistic that one could 

 hardly believe that the trees had not always grown on the 

 Showground, and very great credit is due to Mr. Gillanders 

 for this marvellously lifelike representation. Especially inter- 

 esting were the specimens showing the effects of good and 

 bad methods of pruning, object lessons which all should take 

 to heart. 



Messrs. Flatter & Co.'s exhibition of microscopical structure 

 of forest trees and plants must also be mentioned. The hand- 

 painted slides were exquisitely worked. 



Lord Yarborough's large exhibition was so full of interest 

 that it would require many hours to explore. The time and 

 patient hard work which Mr. Havelock must have given to it 

 alone deserved a medal, and the extraordinary diversity of the 

 different groups fully justified the award of the gold medal. 



The collection of burrs and witches brooms was unique. 

 It was difficult to realise how a collection of 178 hand specimens 

 could be accumulated from one estate. 



The planks and round wood ripped, showing the effect of 

 creosoting, and also the fencing, treated and untreated, made 



