ADDRESS BY THE VICE-PRESIDENT, AUGUST 7, 1888. 193 



tliis Board will be formed in connection with the new Department 

 of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, which it is intended to establish 

 during this session of Parliament. Let us hope that when the 

 Forest Board is created, such an able chief as our ex-President, 

 the Marquis of Lothian, may be placed at the head of it. His 

 great knowledge of and keen interest in Forestry, and Ms 

 practical experience as President of the International Forestry 

 Exhibition, and of this Society from 1879 to 1882, pre-eminently 

 qualify him for the office. 



In accordance with the recommendation of the Forestry Com- 

 mittee, the Royal Scottish Arboricultural Society will be entitled 

 to a representative on the proposed Forest Boai'd. Seven other 

 societies and institutions connected with rural affairs are to have 

 the same privilege of sending a representative to the said Board, 

 which will also comprise the Director of Kew Gardens, three 

 Members of each House of Parliament, and a certain number of 

 owners or managers of large woodlands. Great care has evidently 

 been taken to have all institutions and interests, in any way con- 

 cerned in our woodlands and their management, duly represented 

 on the Board ; and if the various public bodies who possess the 

 privilege are careful to elect thoroughly efficient members to 

 represent them, we may look forward with confidence to the estab- 

 lishment of proper institutions for the training of all grades of 

 foresters that the necessities of the Empire may require either at 

 home or abroad. 



We would no doubt have greatly preferred an independent 

 Department of Forestry, the head of which would be in direct 

 communication with the Government of the day, and respon- 

 sible to it for all that concerned his Depaiiment. The Forestry 

 Board may have considerable difficulty in obtaining full considera- 

 tion from the Department of Agi'iculture, of many important 

 questions with which it will be called upon to deal. The multi- 

 farious duties and affairs connected with Agriculture must absorb 

 most of the time and the principal attention of the Depai-tment, 

 and leave but a small margin for either Forestry or Horticulture, 

 both of which are to be included in its scope. In any case, foresters 

 should earnestly make the best of the circumstances, and the 

 result may be more satisfactory than present appearances lead 

 us to anticipate. 



Assuming that our foresters will soon be enabled to acquire that 

 complete and systematic training of which they have long felt 



