148 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
XI. Report by the Judges on Essays on “The Best Form of, 
and the Best Method of Establishing, an Experimental Forest 
Area in Scotland, for the Exhibition of and for Instruction 
—Theoretical and Practical—in Scientifie Forestry.” 
Four essays were received in competition for the prizes offered 
in this subject. This number may appear to be small when the 
unusual value of the prize is taken into account; but, although 
the subject appeals to all, it is not one that many foresters may 
feel competent to deal with, so that the number of competitors 
need not cause any disappointment. 
In judging the essays, we have been careful to keep certain 
points steadily in view. In the first place, we have considered 
that no scheme, however attractive, could be regarded as valuable 
unless it appeared to be capable of practical application. We 
have also looked out for originality of conception in the drafting 
of the scheme, as manifestly the movement would not be 
materially advanced by a mere restatement of previous argu- 
ments and suggestions. It has appeared to us desirable that, in 
estimating the cost of acquiring an area of land for the object 
in view, reference should as far as possible be made to concrete 
cases, and this, we are glad to say, has been done by one of the 
essayists. With these remarks we shall proceed to state our 
opinion of the essays individually. 
No. 1, sy “ Novice.” 
After dwelling on the necessity of attempting to stem the tide 
of rural depopulation, and on the desirability of providing a 
training-ground for young foresters, the writer advocates the 
suggestion that a limited liability company should be formed to 
acquire at least 2000 acres of suitable land, with convenient 
buildings, at a cost of from £20,000 to £30,000. He looks to 
the landlords to subscribe the nost of the capital, and suggests 
that an appeal for subscriptions should be made through this 
Society, as well as by personal canvass, The writer does not 
submit either estimates or evidence, and we do not recommend 
his essay for a prize. 
