28 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



particularly so if they could be shown how to deal with a portion 

 at least of their existing woods (which have, for the most part, 

 been raised with objects other than that of profit), so as to 

 secure the best results now obtainable from them. 



Demonstration in the latter, and very important, branch of 

 the business cannot be given at Inverliever, because the crops 

 growing there are too small in extent, and are not sufficiently 

 varied in nature and condition. For this and the other pur- 

 poses that have been so often set forth, it is necessary to provide 

 accessibly-situated Demonstration Forests, which should include 

 considerable areas of growing woods, of species and ages as 

 varied as possible. The State alone is competent to own and 

 control forests maintained for these objects, as on privately 

 owned estates there is no security for that continuity of aim and 

 action which is essential to the evolution of a crop of high-class 

 timber-trees of ages running from 80 to 130 years. Two 

 Demonstration Forests are required ; one in the Lowlands, where 

 *' hardwoods " would form the principal crop, and another in the 

 Highlands, where the stock would be mainly conifers. 



The acquisition by the Government of these two areas, in 

 addition to Inverliever and its hoped-for extensions, could not 

 fail to give a powerful impulse to the development of forestry 

 on private estates in this country. And as work of a very 

 interesting nature could at once be undertaken in the existing 

 crops, the Demonstration Forests would also provide the means 

 of imparting practical instruction to students of the science from 

 our University and other classes. Relatively brief visits by 

 them to Continental forests, for study of the results there obtained, 

 might shortly be substituted for the longer periods occupied in 

 practical work abroad, which, until our State-raised crops become 

 fully developed, will, unfortunately, be necessary for the instruc- 

 tion of the students in our advanced classes. 



The State forests will be worked on a purely commercial basis, 

 as an investment made for profit ; and the management will be 

 conducted with full knowledge of the methods of treatment which 

 have succeeded in other and neighbouring countries. An 

 accurate record will, from the very beginning, be kept of all 

 work done, as well as of all expenditure incurred, and of all 

 yield in material and money. This record, which, as a matter 

 of course, will be available to those interested in it, will without 

 doubt prove to the landowner that his woods may be made by 



