240 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



west side to be used as an experimental and training nursery 

 of forest trees. 



The silviculturist and arboriculturist alike can find much of 

 interest and educational value by paying a visit at any season 

 of the year to this splendidly equipped Institute. Much has 

 recently been said and written about the application of science 

 in industry, and there are unmistakable signs that our industrial 

 methods in general are becoming more scientific. The use of 

 experimental stations for plant and animal breeding is now 

 more fully understood and appreciated. Improved and extended 

 facilities for original research are also being provided for in 

 many places, and indeed, as a nation, we are becoming every 

 day more and more convinced that our future prosperity and 

 progress is intimately dependent on the progress we make in 

 research and the service of science. 



All honour is therefore due to Sir Isaac, who, during his 

 whole life's work never lost sight of these big problems which 

 can only be solved by super-minds. The pioneer sees far ahead 

 of others, and his constructive work is unfortunately rendered 

 in most cases all the more difficult owing to the fact that he has 

 to work alone. Unlimited patience and untiring energy and 

 endless self-sacrifice are necessary to start the train of progress, 

 and even after the dead load has been put into motion it requires 

 wisdom and power to guide it along the right rails. In all 

 departments of botanical science and the industries dependent 

 upon it Sir Isaac excelled. He not only knew his subject in 

 whatever field he entered, but he further knew what had to be 

 done to increase the sum of human knowledge concerning that 

 subject, and most important of all he found a way of doing it. 



The members of this Society have every reason to know and 

 to appreciate how profound and far-seeing were Sir Isaac's 

 views of the big problems which concern forestry. His name 

 stands first on the list of those who have done most for education 

 and research in British forestry. His training scheme at the 

 garden for foresters in the science and practice of their profession 

 is already well known. The large and varied collection of woody 

 plants and trees in the Garden, the splendid and well-chosen 

 specimens in the Museum, of timber sections, fruits, cones, 

 seeds and seedlings, flowers, twigs, buds and leaves of forest 

 trees, afford a wide scope for the study of tree life by the forester, 

 and last, but not of least importance, are the numerous specimens 



