158 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



possibly attempt. It is a small, humble thing this Board 

 in Scotland, and if it does its duty as well as it does, it is 

 largely because it is able to draw upon the information it 

 derives from the English Board, to make use of its publications 

 and researches, and indeed to humbly follow its footsteps. If 

 forestry in Scotland is to be on its own, if England is to have a 

 forestry of its own, and Ireland its own, forestry in Scotland 

 will be a small thing compared with forestry in England. 

 Cumberland, Westmorland, Wales, the south-west of England, 

 and the eastern counties offer magnificent opportunities for 

 planting, and although they are not on so large a scale as 

 those of Scotland they are more compact, and great areas 

 which you can plant completely are much more common. 

 Therefore in the early stages there is a great deal to be said 

 for afforestation in England rather than in Scotland, and I may 

 add the experience of the war has shown that it is very much more 

 convenient in the case of war to have timber in England than in 

 Scotland. I am only mentioning those things to warn you that, 

 if the countries are to be separated, you need not suppose Scotland 

 will have a big forestry show and England a small one, because 

 it will be the other way. We may be proud of it because it 

 is our own, but it will be a small thing compared to England, 

 and we shall be inferior as, I venture to think, in matters 

 agricultural we have been inferior since we had the misfortune 

 to divide ourselves from our more powerful neighbour. I am 

 as keen as any Scotsman can be to keep our end up, and to 

 have all our rights, but I do think this wish to stand alone 

 in forestry is no more sensible than it would be to have our 

 own Post Office." 



The Chairman. — "An amendment was moved by Mr Menmuir 

 and seconded, and it is quite in order. Mr Stebbing moved 

 another amendment. I have considered that, and I am afraid 

 I must rule it out of order, because it is not an amendment. 

 It is a resolution, and not a resolution which the Society has 

 been called to consider to-day. I do not wish to argue against 

 it, but I must point out that when Mr Stebbing talks of a 

 projected forestry scheme, no one knows what it is. It may be 

 known to some individuals, but at any rate it is not known 

 publicly. I am afraid I shall have to go now, and I must 

 apologise very much for having to leave." 



Mr Massie then took the chair. 



