31 



and suggesting that a fund might be instituted for the purpose 

 of providing prizes to country schools who do the most tree- 

 planting each year, and intimating that he and his friend, Mr 

 William Rowan Thomson, Engineer, Glasgow, were willing to 

 contribute between them ^50 as a beginning of such a fund, 

 the interest or principal of which might be used as thought best 

 b* the Council of the Society. The Secretary mentioned that 

 Mr Hamilton had called upon him and had further explained 

 his views, and had expressed the willingness of himself and 

 Mr Thomson that this money should be applied in any 

 way the Council thought would be most advantageous in 

 interesting young people in forestry. The Secretary intimated 

 that the Council had cordially accepted the offer, and had 

 appointed a Committee to consider and report upon the 

 proposals. 



Collection of Medicinal Plants. 



Mr Gayer, from Messrs Duncan, Flockhart tv: Co., 

 Manufacturing Chemists, then addressed the meeting on the 

 value of the rhizome of the male fern for manufacturing purposes, 

 and said that he would be glad if any members who would 

 undertake the collection of this root would communicate with 

 him on the subject. He explained that before the war the 

 preparation obtained from this rhizome was almost entirely 

 manufactured in Germany, and it was necessary that this 

 product should now be manufactured in this country. He 

 explained that from 100 to 200 tons of the root was required 

 this season by his firm, who were hopeful that they would have 

 the sympathetic co-operation of the estate owners in finding this 

 supply. It was mentioned that the price of the moist root was 

 from jQd to ^6, los. per ton on rail. 



Mr Murray, Forester, Murthly, said that he had supplied a 

 quantity of the root which had produced 35 per cent, of profit, 

 so that it was worth while taking the matter up. 



Notice of Motion. 



The Secretary intimated that he had received from Mr 

 Charles S. France notice of the following Motion to be proposed 

 by him at next Annual Meeting : — 



"That Rule XIV. of 1908 be altered to read as follows : — 

 "That the affairs of the Society shall be conducted by a 



