Portugal. Small and unimportant as this area appeared to be, it 

 was found of inestimable value in connection with the war. The 

 growing stock of mature timber is nearly exhausted, and it is 

 imperative that it be replaced and greatly added to if national 

 safety in the future is to be assured. The care of the young 

 plantations which have survived the war is also of the greatest 

 importance. 



Imports. 

 The annual value of the imports of timber and timber 

 products into the British Isles previous to the war was about 

 ^40,000,000, and about 80 or 90 per cent, of timber imported 

 was coniferous. A considerable proportion of this might be 

 grown in this country, where huge tracts of land could be 

 more economically occupied in growing trees than as at 

 present, and healthy occupation thereby provided for a much 

 larger rural population, of whom a proportion would be small- 

 holders, reaping the benefits of both forestry and agriculture. 



Agreement as to Need of Afforestation. 



All parties are agreed that it is the urgent duty of the 

 State to undertake Afforestation on a large scale, either directly 

 or indirectly in co-operation with landowners, to whom every 

 encouragement should be provided by means of loans and 

 grants, adjustment of taxation, etc. 



The Society's views on the Development of Afforestation 

 were asked by the Forestry Sub-Committee of the Reconstruc- 

 tion Committee, and the statement prepared by the Council 

 and adopted by the Society was subsequently printed as an 

 Appendix to the Sub-Committee's Report, which was issued in the 

 beginning of 19 18. An Interim Forest Authority was set up 

 soon afterwards with a grant of ;;^i 00,000 to make preliminary 

 arrangements for Afforestation, and a Forestry Bill was sub- 

 sequently introduced into Parliament to give effect to the 

 recommendations of the Reconstruction Sub-Committee. Some 

 anxiety was expressed in regard to local control under a Central 

 Authority for the United Kingdom, but the Council received 

 ample assurance that the policy of the Government and of 

 the Forest Authority is to arrange that all the executive and 

 administrative work shall be done, so far as Scotland is concerned, 

 under the control of Scottish Officers with Headquarters in 

 Edinburgh. The Bill became law as the Forestry Act, 1919, in 

 August of that year, and came into operation on ist September 

 following. The Forestry Commission has now been appointed 

 and has begun operations. 



In these circumstances it is very important that this Society 

 should be in a position to assist effectively in directing schemes 

 along right lines. The membership already includes a great 

 number of men who are recognised authorities on Forestry, 

 but it is desirable that it should include every one in Scotland 

 who is engaged in producing, converting, or utilising timber, 

 or who is otherwise interested in the subject, so that the 

 influence and usefulness of the Society may be further increased. 



ROBERT GALLOWAY, S.S.C, 

 8 Rutland Square, Secretary and Treasurer. 



Edinburgh, 1921. 



