122 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH AREORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



belonging to the Commission. Of this, 3697 acres were situated 

 in Scotland, 8320 acres in England, and 787 acres in Ireland. 

 In addition, 13 16 acres were planted in the Crown woods under 

 the supervision of the Commissioners. At 30th September 192 1, 

 it was estimated that the State nurseries contained 1 1 1 million 

 seedlings and 33 million transplants. 



The policy of the Commissioners with regard to forestry 

 education, which was outlined in their first annual Report^ 

 received further consideration during the year. An Inter- 

 departmental Committee, consisting of Lord Clinton, Viscount 

 Novar, Mr P. H, Clutterbuck, Major Furse, and Professor 

 Farmer, took evidence and issued a Statement.^ Their main 

 recommendations regarding the establishment of a Central 

 Institution for the training of forest officers are summarised 

 in the annual Report, and deserve the attention of all who are 

 interested in higher forestry education. A short description is 

 given of the work which is being done at the Commission's 

 schools for forest apprentices, where sixty youths received 

 instruction during the year. 



A feature of the Report is a general review of the research 

 work which has been done by the Commission. It is explained 

 that it is, of course, much too early to arrive at definite con- 

 clusions, but results so far are most interesting and suggestive ; 

 for example, instead of the usual practice of sowing conifer 

 seed in spring the seeds of several species were sown in autumn 

 with marked success, especially as regards Douglas fir — better 

 germination and larger plants being obtained. If after several 

 seasons' trial the results of this experiment are corroborated, it 

 may be found advisable to modify existing nursery methods in 

 this respect. The pre-germination of seed, the treatment of seed 

 by soaking, the value of various types of shelter as protection of 

 seed beds, the measures to be taken against damage by frost 

 lifting, and the determination of the best season for the collection 

 of Scots pine cones, are among subjects which received attention 

 by the experimentalists during the year, and important work is 

 being done in connection with peat in relation to tree-growth. 

 There is progress to report in connection with Dr Munro's 

 entomological investigations, particularly as regards experiments 



' For full details see Cmd. Paper No. 1166, "Report of the Inter- 

 departmental Committee on Imperial Forestry Timbers," printed by 11. M. 

 Stationery Office. Price 2d. 



