40 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



these words, I give you, on this auspicious occasion, the toast 

 of " The Royal Scottish Arboricultural Society." May it long 

 flourish ; and with it I couple the name of our respected President. 

 The toast was drunk with all the honours. 



The President, in reply, said : The toast of " Our Noble 

 Selves " is, of course, always well received, and I am sure it is 

 all the better received on this occasion from the very able way 

 in which Dr Somerville has proposed it. Of course, there are 

 one or two things that might be taken exception to. One of 

 them is our own particular motto. Surely making a plantation 

 would be nearer the truth than "sticking in a tree," because 

 the days of putting in solitary trees are past. As we have 

 risen in ambition, and I hope in importance, and as our 

 objects have become greater and more far-reaching, the making 

 of plantations is surely more in our line, — not that I wish for 

 a moment to change the motto of the Society. I do not 

 know how we are to thank Dr Somerville for the kind 

 words he has used regarding the Society. I hope the sapling 

 referred to by Dr Somerville, living and growing as it is at 

 present, will continue to thrive, and that the members of the 

 Society will do everything they possibly can to impress on the 

 world in general, and all those in authority in particular, what 

 our objects are. We intend to stick to those objects until we 

 get them carried out. I think we are making progress in that 

 direction. I made rather an omission at the beginning in not 

 intimating a number of apologies. The following cablegram has 

 been received by the Secretary: — 



" Secretary, Arboricultural Society, Edinburgh. 

 " Please express to President and Society my respectful hearty 

 congratulations on its successful past, and best wish for happy 

 future. — Elis Nilson, Sweden." 



I have also received the following communication : — 



"Villa Berigo, San Remo, 



"Italy, 12th February 1904. 

 " W. Steuart Fothringham, Esq. 



" Dear Sir, I regret very much my inability to be present at the 

 Annual Meeting and the Jubilee Dinner of the Royal Scottish 

 Arboricultural Society on the i6th instant. But I take this 

 means of sending my best wishes for a pleasant and interesting 

 re-union on Tuesday evening, and at the same time I take the 



