6 TRANSACTIONS OF ROVAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



commend to all of us the belief that it can only be by a Board 

 appointed ad hoc. I beg to move that." 



Mr Paton, Kilmarnock, said : — " I have much pleasure in 

 rising to second the resolution. There is one side of the question 

 which has been entirely omitted from this statement, and that is 

 how far trees now growing can be utilised. We know that in 

 the nurseries of Great Britain there are millions of forest trees 

 that are all available for planting, and if it were a recommenda- 

 tion to the Government to allow a certain number of men to go 

 on planting, seeing that the country is being denuded of forest 

 trees, it would be a matter of furthering afforestation by a great 

 number of years. To begin to sow in the future seeds of trees 

 that must be grown in the nurseries, transplanted from there and 

 carried to the forests, means a delay of five or six years before 

 this can be accomplished. We have a practical demonstration 

 of what can be done at present in the way of labour being got 

 from the Government. In Lanarkshire they have planted a 

 large area of forest trees this year that would otherwise have 

 gone into the fire. That has been done by German prison 

 labour. What has been done can be continued if a recommenda- 

 tion is made to the State along with the recommendations of 

 this Committee. I think those who are practical will agree with 

 me that they are all within the area of practical politics. I 

 have much pleasure in seconding the recommendation with an 

 addition of this kind." 



The Chairman. — " I would say, in reply to Mr Paton, that ot 

 course it is impossible to add that to this particular Memorandum, 

 because it has already been sent up to the Sub-Committee on 

 Forestry, who have now sent their report in to the Government. 

 Therefore we cannot now add any addition of that kind, but we 

 can keep that in mind for any future recommendation. I think 

 it would be a very useful subject for discussion, and it might 

 come into our discussion presently." 



The resolution was adopted unanimously. 



Sir John Stirling-Max v/ell, Bart., opened a discussion on 

 " National Forestry." He said : — " Mr President, you referred 

 just now to the report of the Reconstruction Committee. I 

 cannot, as a member of that Committee, say much about it, 

 but I would like to take this opportunity of thanking the Council 

 for the help they gave to the Committee in providing them 

 with this document. Without disclosing any secrets, I might 



