2o6 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



years ago, and the latter with Scots fir twenty-five years ago. In 

 connection with these woods, which are good specimens of 

 closely planted woods, the opinion was generally expressed that 

 it would be unnecessary to do any thinning out, with the excep- 

 tion of the removal of dead and suppressed trees, for a number 

 of years yet. 



Meeting of 28th September 1907. 



A meeting of the Society was held in the Town Council Chamber, 

 Inverness, on 28th September. Mr J. Grant Thomson, Grantown- 

 on-Spey, President of the Branch, occupied the chair. 



Mr J. Grant Thomson then addressed the meeting, his subject 

 being " Forestry, Past and Present." Mr Thomson said : " Brodie 

 of Brodie and Gentlemen, you have conferred an honour upon me 

 that I never coveted, never expected, and I fear never merited ; 

 but since you have elected me as the first President of this Branch 

 of the Royal Scottish Arboricultural Society, I will hope for your 

 sympathy and kindly support. I can only assure you of my high 

 appreciation of so signal a mark of your good opinion. No doubt 

 there may be some difficulties to overcome, but with prudence, 

 patience, and hearty co-operation, I trust this Branch may be a 

 benefit, not only locally, but to the country at large, and especially 

 to the Highlands. You are all aware of the object we have in 

 view, namely, to assist and encourage afforestation. I need not 

 dwell on that subject. Gentlemen, I can now look back over 

 nearly sixty years of active work, and can remember many 

 changes that have taken place. Few can say that their connec- 

 tion with forestry is so lengthened as mine has been, and I daresay 

 fewer still can say that they have served for the length of time 

 that I have done under the same family. And here I cannot 

 but pay the grateful tribute of saying that there never were more 

 considerate proprietors than the noble family of Seafield, or any 

 that I know of so much interested in arboriculture and every- 

 thing connected therewith, By their generous consideration and 

 indulgence, I have been permitted to visit other estates, and 

 you will pardon me for mentioning that there is scarcely a county 

 in Scotland, from Berwick to Sutherland and from the island of 

 Mull to Aberdeen, where I have not been employed ; and while 

 I hope I was of some benefit to those who asked my advice, I 

 also was benefited myself, and saw some things that could not 

 be seen in one locality. In these wanderings I have come across 



