ADDRESS BY THE PRESIDENT, AUGUST 7, 1893, 5 
of home growth is quite equal, if not superior, in growth and 
quality to the foreign, and, owing to its texture, it is more capable 
of being thoroughly creosoted. 
Were questions on the points mentioned put to the Minister 
of Agriculture and the Postmaster-General, the reasons for the 
absurd restrictions placed on home-grown timber might be made 
known. 
The foregoing statement was drafted by a Committee of the 
Council, and I trust it may be the means of righting what appar- 
ently is a great wrong.—I am, yours faithfully, 
W. J. Morrat, Secretary. 
R. Munro Fercuson, Esq. of Raith and Novar. 
46 CADOGAN SQuaRgE, 
11th March 1893. 
Dear S1r,—I am directed by Mr Munro Ferguson to thank you 
for your letter. He will forward it to the Postmaster-General 
and the Minister of Agriculture.—I am, yours faithfully, 
J. S. Smarr, 
W. J. Morrat, Esq. 
46 CADOGAN SQUARE, 
15th April 1893. 
Dear Sir,—I am desired by Mr Munro Ferguson to send you 
the enclosed communication from the Board of Agriculture.— 
Yours faithfully, J. S. Smarr, 
BoArRp OF AGRICULTURE, 
3 St JAMEs’s SQuaRE, Lonpon, S8.W., 
12th April 1893. 
Srr,—I am directed by the Board of Agriculture to inform you 
that they have had under their consideration the letter from the 
Royal Scottish Arboricultural Society, which was forwarded to the 
President with Mr J. S, Smart’s note of the 16th ultimo. The 
paragraph quoted in that letter is not taken from the Minute and 
Specifications now issued by the Board, with reference to works to 
be executed in Scotland under the Lands Improvement Acts, 
as will be seen from the enclosed copy of the printed Minute ; but 
the Board are disposed to think that even the modified wording of 
the existing specifications is to some extent open to the criticism 
urged by the Society, and they propose to adopt the following 
paragraph in lieu of the present one :— 
“‘Where fir timber is proposed to be used, the specifications 
must state whether such timber is to be ‘ home-grown’ or imported, 
In the former case, the timber must be cut from sound trees of 
suitable dimensions, and the age and size of the trees, and the 
date of cutting, must be stated. Where imported timber is to be 
used, that obtained from Memel or Norway, and battens from 
