120 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



immediately concerned as a naturalist. He realised many years 

 ago, indeed long before the importance of forestry was generally 

 appreciated, the need for an enlightened forest policy, and 

 the effects that its adoption would have in promoting the 

 wellbeing of rural communities, especially in the North 

 of Scotland. He was the person to whom the credit must 

 be chiefly assigned of having foreseen the necessity of making 

 provision for forestry education in connection with the University 

 of Aberdeen and the North of Scotland College of Agriculture. 

 The Forestry School at Aberdeen was established in 1908, 

 and was at first housed in the Botany Department of the 

 University. From the date of its establishment until his 

 death, he continued to take an interest in the work of the 

 school, and his advice and friendly counsel were constantly in 

 request by the lecturers. 



Professor Trail became a member of the Royal Scottish 

 Arboricultural Society in 1908, when the Aberdeen branch 

 was opened. He was President of the branch for a period 

 of two years, and was a very regular attender at the meetings. 



He was a man of the most kindly disposition, and his 

 memory will be revered by all classes of the community with 

 which he was connected, and more especially by those who 

 had the privilege of attending his classes. He endeared 

 himself to his students, many of whom occupy important 

 positions as botanists, entomologists, and foresters in Britain 

 and in the Colonies, not only on account of his wide know- 

 ledge of his subject and the sound instruction which he imparted, 

 but because of the kindly personal interest which he took in 

 their careers. He was unwearied in his efforts to assist those 

 of them whom he thought deserving of being helped, and never 

 spared himself any pains or trouble to obtain for them the 

 kind of appointments in which he thought they would be 

 likely to render the most useful service. 



In the death of Professor Trail we have lost a friend in 

 the true interpretation of the word, while forestry has lost 

 one who, by his enthusiasm, foresight, and experience, would 

 have done much at the present time to advance its interests 

 and ensure its success. P. L. 



