6 
could manage forests, no doubt, but there were many points they 
needed to clear up. Many of these new ideas that had come 
amongst them, needed to be tested to see how far they would 
hold good in this country. Their Scottish foresters had shown 
great readiness to take up new ideas. It was a marked character- 
istic of the revolution going on of late in Scottish forestry, that 
their foresters had so readily accepted new ideas, and had 
endeavoured to turn them to the best account; but still, many 
of these new ideas had to be put to the test, and they wanted 
some place where that could be done. It could not be done on a 
private estate. They must have an area where the experiments 
would be continuous and successive. It was because he saw so 
great a field open, and because he believed it could, with adequate 
preparation, be suitably occupied, that he considered it an aus- 
picious circumstance to move Colonel Baruey for their President. 
The Colonel had given attention to this question, and he (Mr 
Munro Ferguson) trusted Coloiel BarLey would be in a position 
soon to give effect to his views upon it. 
Colonel Baitey, in taking the chair vacated by Mr Munro 
Fereuson, thanked the Members for the great honour they had 
done him. It was a position he was proud to hold. During his 
term of office, he should endeavour to promote the interests of the 
Society, and if, in this matter of the forest area, in which they 
were all so deeply interested, he could render any special service, 
he should feel proud if that would mark his term of the 
presidential chair. He might say that on this question, he was 
authorised to state by the Council that a draft report had been 
prepared by Professor Somerville and himself, which embodied a 
scheme. They had hoped it might have been ready for presenta- 
tion that day; but, in order that no time might be lost, he asked 
them to give the Council power to deal with it, and to report to 
next meeting. 
The matter was remitted to the Council, with powers. 
ELECTION OF OFFICE-BEARERS. 
Colonel Battey having been elected President, Mr Dunn 
moved that the office of Honorary Secretary be created, and 
that Mr Munro Fereuson, M.P., be elected Honorary Secretary. 
He explained that in this way Mr Munro Fercuson’s influence 
among the proprietors of the country, Government officials and 
