130 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORIOUT.TURAL SOCIETY. 



" Damp, boggy soil will not ? " " No, that will not grow trees ; 

 nor rocky soil, bare rock would not do." — " That would exclude a 

 great deal of waste land in Scotland and elsewhere, that has been 

 been spoken of 1 " " Yes, if you take it all in one tract." — " Do 

 you think it reasonable to believe that some portion of the diseases 

 of trees arises from their being planted in unsuitable soil?" 

 " Partly. I think it is quite wrong to plant the same kind of 

 trees in different kinds of soil. Some soil is more suitable for one 

 tree than for another." — " You say that it would pay to plant any 

 piece of waste land which is bringing in not more than 10s. an 

 acre; but in the one case you are getting your 10s. without ex- 

 penditure, and in the other case you have got to go to a great 

 expenditure to get your return. You have got to put down an 

 immense sum before you can get a return from trees, and grouse 

 moors will bring you a return without any expenditure at all. 

 Does not that affect the commercial asj^ect of the thing?" "These 

 forests do not destroy shooting altogether." — " But they destroy 

 the grouse shooting, certainly ? " " Not for a number of years 

 after they are planted." — "You may get black game, but not grouse 

 long after they are planted V " You get grouse from three to five 

 years after. It depends on the state of your heather." 



" In your experience is the use of wood in this country shrink- 

 ing at all, from iron being more used 1 " " For large beams and 

 such things as that the demand is falling off, but for ordinary pur- 

 poses I do not think it is." — " With regard to foreign competition ; 

 do you think that will probably lessen in future ? " "I think 

 foreign competition will probably lessen in future." — " Is it your 

 view that trees are brought over more cheaply on account of freights 

 being cheaper from a less trade 1 " " Yes ; and labour is cheaper 

 abroad just now, but it is sure to rise as English capitalists go 

 there." 



"Is it your opinion that the woods in Scotland and elsewhere 

 are as badly managed as some of the witnesses want to make out 1 " 

 " There are some of them not very well managed." — " You do not 

 admit that as regards your own woods V "I think our own 

 woods are managed tolerably well." — "Do you think they are as 

 well managed as they might be if they were more scientifically 

 managed according to the theories of some people V "I am not 

 aware of anything in which they could be managed better than what 

 is, in fact, being done at the present time." — " I wanted to ask you 

 that question on account of a further question. Do you think your 



