Excursion. 



The Excursion to Ayrshire and the Glasgow Exhibition in August 

 was well attended, there being over eighty Members present, and, as 

 usual, they were everywhere received with the greatest kindness and 

 hospitality. On the return of the party, the formal thanks of the 

 Society were conveyed to the various proprietors and others whose 

 estates and works had been thrown open for the Society's inspection. 



On one of the evenings after dinner a very interesting discussion on 

 the Larch Disease and other subjects was opened by Dr Farquharson, M.P., 

 and was taken part in by a large number of Members. The discussion 

 has since been continued with much vigour in the Agricultural Press. 



A full report of the Excursion and discussion will appear in the 

 Transactio)is. 



After paying all accounts and expenses, the Committee had a con- 

 siderable surplus in hand, and they decided to present to each Member 

 who had taken part in the Excursion an enlarged photograph of the 

 group taken at Culzean Castle, with the names of the Members printed 

 on it. This has been done. 



J)eputatio7i to the President of the Board of Agriculture. 



On 9th October last, Mr Hanbury, the President of the Board of 

 Agriculture, was kind enough to receive, in the City Chambers, 

 Edinburgh, a deputation, consisting of the Council of the Society, who 

 submitted to him the views of the Society on the present unsatisfactory 

 condition of forestry in the country, and on the need for State Model 

 Forests, with other facilities for obtaining Forestry education. 



Mr MuxRO Ferguson introduced the deputation, and in concluding 

 his remarks, suggested that a Departmental Committee might be 

 appointed to inquire into the whole matter, and to report. In his 

 reply Mr Hanbury pointed out that there were other departments 

 than his own which were concerned in the matter, and that it was 

 impossible for him to do anything without the concurrence of these 

 other departments. He, however, expressed approval of Mr Ferguson's 

 suggestion, and promised to endeavour to get such a Committee 

 appointed. 



A full report of the deputation will be printed in the Transactions. 



The Sparks Bill. 



The deputation above mentioned took the opportunity of urging 

 upon Mr Hanbury the necessity for the Government taking up this 

 Bill, as otherwise there was little hope of its being got through 

 Parliament. Mr Hanbury expressed himself as strongly in favour of 

 some such measure being passed. It is understood that since then an 



