28 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETV. 



organisation for growing and packing plants, but it would be 

 impossible for them to lay in these enormous stocks unless they 

 were in some way guaranteed that their stocks would be disposed 

 of for them. I think it is most important that proprietors should 

 be circularised and their requirements ascertained, not only for 

 one or two but for three or four years ahead. The tendency of 

 this would be to force proprietors to study out their planting 

 schemes beforehand, and make it possible to have adequate 

 supplies of plants. Hitherto it has been far too much a hand- 

 to-mouth business, the proprietor having no definite scheme in 

 his mind. It occurs to him a few months beforehand to put in 

 10,000 plants of this or that species, and he sends to the nursery- 

 man for these, whereas he should have made up his mind long 

 ago, so that the nurseryman, with the assistance of your Authority, 

 could be ready to supply him at a reasonable price with what he 

 requires. I think it is of the utmost importance that proprietors 

 should study out the question for themselves years before- 

 hand. 



" I think that the obtaining of seeds of trees known to be of 

 general value for planting ought to be taken in hand by the 

 Authority. You should have your agents in California, British 

 Columbia, Japan, Serbia, the Caucasus and Eastern America. 

 So far as Eastern America is concerned, the head of the Forest 

 Service in Washington would, I know, give every assistance in 

 his power in supplying you with the names of those who would 

 give you reliable seeds. These when received could be handed 

 over to the nurseryman. Of course Mr Duthie has his own 

 organisation for obtaining seeds, but all firms may not be so 

 fortunately placed. However, as we have heard that the 

 supply of home-grown plants is only a quarter of the normal, 

 it may be necessary for the next year or two, until home 

 supplies are adequate, to find out what the nurseries in 

 Denmark, Lorraine and Sweden can supply ; not Scots pine, 

 but any other species. They presumably have large stocks 

 of unsold plants, normally sold to Germany, which we might 

 take advantage of if they are to be had." 



Mr Acland. — "That has been extraordinarily helpful to us. 

 The position seems to be not at all happy with regard to seeds 

 this particular year, particularly with regard to Scots pine, and 

 the matter needs taking up rather urgently, in order to see 

 whether anything can be done to make the position at all better. 



