486 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



tree where the soil suggests there should be a mixture 

 of woods, and we find a mixed wood where only one kind 

 of tree should be growing. We find often on a piece 

 of low damp ground, where spruces would thrive and come to 

 great perfection, that an attempt has been made to drain it in 

 order to grow Scots firs, the crop of which would always be 

 inferior, as the soil is not suited for that species. This is the first 

 mistake, planting trees in soil not suited to their growth. Then 

 comes a course of wrong management, and we find, even where 

 plantations have been wisely planted, that they have been thinned 

 at the wrong age, and the timber thereby spoiled for the purpose 

 it was produced for. Foreign timber is always preferred in this 

 country for building purposes, and if that is so, it stands to reason 

 that home timber must be inferior in quality to it. Before we can 

 get the same price for our home timber as they get for foreign, we 

 must produce as good an article. I am speaking as a practical 

 forester. In my young days — I am glad to say we are better now 

 — we had not even a text-book to teach us the rudiments of 

 forestry, and we Avent by the rule of thumb, which has been 

 proved to be wrong. We get a little more light now, for there are 

 several text-books which we can consult to keep us right, but that 

 is not sufficient. We have perhaps plenty of theory. Various 

 opinions are held by different authorities in the country: what we 

 want is that a practical school should be established, where we can 

 see for ourselves the results of good forestry. That is how, it seems 

 to me, we can improve the quality of our timber, and until that 

 is done it is perfectly evident, as I said before, that we cannot get 

 the same prices for home-grown timber as are given for foreign 

 timber. 



Mr Munro Ferguson said : I think, Mr Hanbury, you may 

 take that as the expression of the opinion of our practical foresters, 

 nurserymen, and others who work amongst trees. There is only 

 one point I should have referred to. I handed in a pamphlet 

 drawn up for our Society with regard to the Sparks Bill which 

 Mr Jeffreys brought in last year, and with which I had also some- 

 thing to do. I find that although it occupied the first place on 

 the list of private members' bills at the beginning of the session, 

 it nevertheless was unable to pass. Our feeling is that it is quite 

 impossible for a Bill of this kind to be got through by a private 

 member, and I think it well worth the attention of the Govern- 

 ment. There is no doubt much damage might be saved if loco- 



