50 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
Exhibition held in this city in 1884. Although various attempts 
have been made,—including a Parliamentary Committee which sat 
through at least three Sessions, taking evidence from experts, with 
the usual abortive result,—nothing of a useful and practicable 
nature, to improve our wastes and woodlands, has been evolved 
by the Government. True it is, that a comparatively small sum 
has been dealt out in driblets by the Government, in fostering 
the technical education of Foresters in a few select schools and 
universities ; but nothing of any value is ever likely to result from 
such meagre attempts and half measures to instruct those interested 
in the fundamental principles of practical forestry, as applicable to 
the woods and plantations of Britain. The Government of India 
no doubt does educate and partially train the candidates for 
appointments in the Forest Service in India, at the Engineering 
College, Coopers Hill, near Windsor; but they are still sent 
abroad to acquire in foreign countries a practical training in the 
working and management of forests, and, so far, no provision 
whatever has been made by our home Government for the 
practical training of foresters for employment in any branch of 
the profession in Britain, India, or the Colonies. This is not 
as it should be, and certainly would be, if our Government 
performed the duties of the State in regard to Forestry in the 
business-like manner in which most civilised States have treated 
the question for many years. Why the British Government lags 
so far behind in the promotion of this most important branch of 
national industry, in which the prosperity of the empire is so 
vitally concerned, passes the comprehension of any observant 
and thoughtful man. It does not arise from lack of space and 
adequate material to work upon, as we know has been stated by 
those who were ignorant of the extent and capacity of our forests, 
or who from some less worthy cause decry British Forestry and all 
connected with it. Nor can it arise, in a wealthy State like our 
own, which justly boasts of being the richest in Christendom, 
from want of ample funds to carry out a reasonable scheme of 
Forestry education and training commensurate with the needs 
of the country and the public welfare. 
As a matter of fact, students of practical forestry could not be 
better trained in the elements thereof in any country, than in that 
part of Scotland (Strathspey and Morayshire) which we shall have 
the privilege of visiting, and inspecting its forests, within the next 
few days. There you will find, and I desire it to be widely known, 
