134 TRANSACTIONS OF ROVAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



of Steady supplies, so that a merchant would be warranted in 

 laying down a mill alongside the forest, equipped with up-to-date 

 machinery and appliances, where the timber would be sawn, 

 dried, and manufactured on the spot, ready for the user; and 

 this would mean a saving of 70 to 100 per cent, in cartage, 

 railway, and other charges, which at the moment go so far to 

 increase the price. Again, in the past little encouragement 

 was given to the manufacture of the smaller wood goods, owing 

 to the enormous quantities imported at prices at which it was 

 impossible to compete ; consequently much went to waste that 

 should have given profitable employment. When we consider 

 the enormous quantities of timber required annually by our 

 railways and collieries, and also for ship-building, box-making, 

 and house-building, one wonders why we have been so long in 

 realising our possibilities; and, if we are to maintain our position 

 among the nations, we must develop industrially, and without 

 timber there is little hope. I am confident that if the timber is 

 supplied, the trade will not fail to grasp the opportunity to 

 develop an industry which would go far to supply the needs 

 of the nation, and is capable of giving employment to large 

 numbers of our people in one of the healthiest callings a man 

 can pursue." 



Mr W. H. Massie, who spoke on the Provision of Plants and 

 the Importance of Preparation in Advance, said : — " In the 

 report the Committee have devoted very little attention, only 

 a few lines, to this subject, but they have told us that there is 

 something being done, and that they have already provided 

 plants for the planting of 5000 acres, which is all to the good. 

 I think the most important thing about this part of the question 

 is anticipation, that is, we should take long views, look ahead 

 of ourselves a little more than we have done. It would be 

 wise to give up the old method that many people had of 

 beginning to look for the young trees a month or two before 

 they wanted to use them, and then sometimes changing their 

 plans and not wanting to have them at all. I have known 

 many cases of that sort in my own time. It is a very simple 

 matter after all to arrange for looking ahead if you are going 

 to provide your own plants. If you prefer to go to someone 

 who makes a business of producing them you say to him, 

 ' I want a contract with you for so many hundred thousands 

 or so many million plants of a certain class by a certain date. 



