182 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



men possess most excellent qualities through the observation of 

 nature, and by diligence and self-culture, just as in Germany one 

 hundred and fifty years ago, men like Beckmann and Kapler did 

 much good work ; still, the foresters in general must be described 

 as inefficient. The small economic importance of woodlands, and 

 the insufficient education of those in charge of them, find expres- 

 sion in the social position of the forester. 



The fact that the condition of British forestry can be improved, 

 as much to the benefit of the private owner as for the good of the 

 country in general, is not yet fully realised. Still, a certain 

 section, and particularly those who have studied the subject in 

 Germany and France, candidly acknowledge the situation. An 

 effort to obtain some idea, at least, of the result of good forest 

 management was made by the Eoyal Scottish Arboricultural 

 Society in 1895, when a party visited ]^orth Germany. The 

 efFects of that tour have been important and far-reaching. With 

 a like purpose in view, this Society made an excursion to Sweden 

 in 1902, and the English Society visited France. Not resting 

 satisfied with these efforts, these associations have long striven 

 to obtain a State area such as may serve as a model forest, and 

 during the past seven or eight years fresh endeavours have been 

 made to improve education. 



Those directing the aflTairs of the Royal Scottish Arboricultural 

 Society are especially deserving of praise. Standing at the head 

 of this movement are Mr Munro Ferguson, M.P., Dr Somerville, 

 Assistant Secretary to the Board of Agriculture, who studied and 

 took his degree at Munich, and our own countryman, Dr Schlich, 

 formerly Inspector-General to the Government of India The 

 delay in obtaining a State forest has been the more protracted 

 because, as the Minister of Agriculture in 1896 explained to a 

 deputation of the Royal Scottish Arboricultural Society, there was 

 not enough suj^port from private individuals — exactly the class 

 who should have been most directly interested. A suggestion 

 brought before the above Society, to establish a joint stock 

 company, owning a forest area, has not been acted upon. 



The movement for the furtherance of sylviculture is now pro- 

 ceeding more briskly however. The late Minister of Agriculture, 

 Mr Hanbury, appointed Dr Somerville as Assistant Secretary to 

 the Board of Agriculture in 1901. That position entails a great 

 variety of work, inclusive of forestry. As already mentioned, the 

 Crown woods are under the control of the Office of Woods and 



