ADDRESS BY THE PRESIDENT, AUGUST 9, 1884. 5 
feature in the landscape. The extent of these zones is marked in 
colours on the map. There are also excellent coloured drawings, 
representing the habit of these fine trees, and their foliage, flower, 
and fruit in life-size. 
It would have been very desirable that similar illustrative 
maps had been furnished, as far as possible by various Govern- 
ments, to assist in determining the rates of growth of valuable trees 
in different countries. For instance, in the Danish collection 
some of the diagrams give the mean height from 20 to 120 years, 
and show that in Germany the height of beech and spruce is 
greater than in Denmark; but the average diameter of the latter 
exceeds that of the former. 
Japan.—The Japanese Court occupies the eastern transept, and 
forms one of the largest and most important sections. The arrange- 
ments by the Commissioners (whom we have the honour of seeing 
amongst us to-day) have been carried out in a most thorough and 
businesslike manner. They knew beforehand the exact amount 
of space their goods would occupy, and worked with a rapidity 
and skill which might put to shame the most advanced nations. 
The Japanese collection was catalogued before it was despatched, 
and the arrangement corresponds with the running numbers, and 
is most creditable. Mr Takei, the head Commissioner, has shown 
himself possessed of great business capacity, as well as being an 
expert in the science of Forestry. 
The importance of Forestry to the welfare of Great Britain and 
its Colonies has only been recently recognised by us, but in Japan 
it has long formed an important feature of national education. 
The sections of woods, numbering about 270, are placed on the 
central table, with botanical specimens and illustrations above, 
and manuscript notes below, containing the Japanese and botani- 
cal names, with the habitats and economical uses, the comparative 
rarity or abundance of the tree, the average height at 50 years 
and at maturity. Each section, drawing, and description is 
marked with a corresponding number. 
Numerous models and drawings illustrate the expedients adopted 
for felling trees, slipping and floating the logs down narrow gorges 
or deep chasm rivers, and the booms for catching and collecting 
timber when the rivers debouche on the plains, and where timber 
depots are formed. Illustrations are also given of the method of 
preventing soil from slipping away from the sides of mountains, 
and the method of introducing sand-binding plants. The draw- 
