68 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETV. 



to take an interest in the scheme, and to bring the subject to 

 the notice of their scholars. It is expected that the book will 

 be published early in the present year, and that a certain number 

 of copies will be available for free distribution, but as the price, 

 in stiff paper covers, is to be is. only, it will be within the reach 

 of all. Members should send their orders to the publishers at 

 9 Castle Street, Edinburgh, either direct or through a bookseller, 

 without delay. 



The Council will be glad to receive donations from other 

 members who approve of this scheme, so that the scope of the 

 work may be extended and enlarged. 



The Planting of Berrv-bearing Trees round 

 Coniferous Woods. 



This is more of a question than a suggestion, and more of a 

 question for a naturalist than a forester, but it has occurred to 

 me that it might be an advantage to plant such trees and shrubs 

 on the margins of coniferous woods as would be likely to 

 encourage small birds to live in their vicinity. If such trees 

 as rowans, thorns, hollies and other berry-bearing shrubs were 

 planted round the margins, it seems to me that the small birds 

 would be encouraged to live about the edges of woods, which 

 would be the better for their presence, and yet at present are not 

 suitable for them. These trees would be useful, too, if they 

 were firm rooted, as a protection against windfalls. In Scotland 

 the thorn and the rowan have plenty of berries, and are hardy 

 and wind-firm ; the holly does not carry so many berries, but 

 some of the wild roses carry plenty of fruit that the birds are 

 very fond of. On the other hand, brambles would have to be 

 avoided owing to their habit of spreading when conditions are 

 favourable to their growth. W. Steuart Fothringham. 



Forest Surveys. 



The evidence given before the Coast Erosion Committee as 

 to the area available in Scotland for afforestation shows that 

 while an area of 9,000,000 acres was reckoned as available, one 

 witness put the estimate as low as 3,000,000 acres. It has been 

 suggested that the larger estimate probably includes a con- 

 siderable area suitable for agriculture, but it is much more 



