44 



and it would enormously strengthen their hands if the Society 

 reminded the Members of Parliament how important the 

 matter was. 



Dr BoRTHWiCK said the re-afforestation of areas recently 

 denuded of timber was of urgent importance. The physical, 

 chemical, and biological condition of the soil was gradually 

 improved by trees growing upon it, and that condition could 

 only be produced after years of very careful tending, but it only 

 took one or two years to destroy the whole thing. If an area 

 was denuded and left to grow wild the productive value of 

 the soil deteriorated. Therefore, it was not only the future 

 potentiality of the soil that was being affected, but its active 

 productive qualities were losing in value. What might seem 

 economy in replanting was being lost tenfold. It was false 

 economy to say that the cost of planting might decrease in a 

 few years, and that they should wait until the cost of material 

 went down. By that time it would be too late, and the 

 silvicultural value of the denuded areas would have suffered. 



The Earl of Stair said they should, in their Resolution, make 

 it clear that the grant was not all outgoing, but that it 

 represented a saving to the country ; otherwise their Resolution 

 would be put aside with all the other "anti-waste" subjects. 



The meeting remitted the Resolution to the Council to adjust, 

 in view of the discussion, and to forward it to the Government, 

 the Forestry Commission, and, subsequently, to all Scottish 

 Members of Parliament, with an explanatory covering letter. 

 The Resolution, as finally adjusted, was in the following 

 terms : — 



"That this meeting of the Royal Scottish Arboricultural 

 Society urges the Government to proceed at greater 

 speed with afforestation, especially the re-afforestation 

 of the areas recently denuded of trees for war purposes, 

 and to give further encouragement to private owners 

 of land to enable them to develop their woodlands by 

 renewing for a period of years the present unemployment 

 grants which have been well taken advantage of, or 

 by passing fresh legislation dispensing with the un- 

 workable conditions attached to the grants allowed 

 under the Forestry Act, 1919." 



A vote of thanks to the Chairman closed the proceedings. 



