2loj)al Scottisf? ^rboricultural Society 



MEMORANDUM regarding the Objects 

 and Work of the Society. 



Institution. 



THE Society was founded sixty-seven years ago with the 

 object of advancing Forestry in all its branches. During 

 that period it has expended in the interest of Forestry 

 a sum of over ^27,400, including about ^600 towards the 

 expense of founding the Chair of Forestry in the University 

 of Edinburgh. 



Membership. 

 Any person interested in Forestry and desirous of promot- 

 ing the objects of the Society is eligible for membership. 



Lines of Effort. 



The work of the Society in the past has been carried on 

 mainly along educational lines, by holding meetings for dis- 

 cussions, lectures, etc. ; by publishing Tra?isactions, which 

 contain all the most recent and most important information 

 relating to Forestry ; by interviewing Ministers and pressing 

 the claims of Forestry on successive Governments; by making 

 silvicultural Excursions at home and abroad ; by organising 

 Exhibitions of Forestry throughout the country ; by granting 

 medals and prizes for Essays ; and by affording to Members, 

 through its Honorary Scientists, gratuitous advice on subjects 

 relating to Forestry. 



Education. 



In recent years progress has been made in providing facilities 

 for education, but the various courses of instruction could be 

 much improved and added to, and a State Demonstration 

 Forest has not yet been provided. A Degree and Diploma in 

 Forestry for Forest Officers can be obtained at the Universities 

 of Edinburgh and Aberdeen, and a Diploma in Forestry for 

 practical foresters at the West of Scotland Agricultural College, 

 Glasgow, but meantime no Diploma is obtainable at the Agri- 

 cultural Colleges at Edinburgh and Aberdeen. Schools of 

 Practical Forestry have now been opened by the Government at 

 Birnam and Beauly, and others are promised in suitable centres. 



Suitability of Conditions for Afforestation. 



All the experts — both home and foreign — agree that the 

 soil and climate of Scotland are eminently suited to tree-growth, 

 and are capable of producing timber of such quality and in 

 such quantity as would make the country, to a very consider- 

 able extent, independent of foreign supplies. 



Woodland Area and Its Value. 



Previous to the war, the woodland area of Scotland — due 

 solely to private enterprise — was only 868,000 acres. Of the 

 whole land area of the United Kingdom only 4 % was woodland, 

 being the lowest percentage in Europe with the exception of 



