go TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



and Gordon showed some interesting cross sections of Scots 

 pine, larch, and Norway spruce from the Huntly district. 

 The object of this exhibit was to demonstrate the natural 

 taper of the tree, which is a very important point ■ in the 

 valuation of timber. 



Mr Gammell of Drumtochty exhibited an implement known 

 as the " Forest Devil," which has for long been in use in 

 Switzerland and Germany for extracting roots, or for pulling 

 trees out of hollows. 



Messrs Thomas Tait & Sons, Ltd., Inverurie, exhibited 

 specimens of wood and pulp for paper-making in various stages, 

 with samples of paper made from Aberdeenshire wood. 



A very interesting exhibit was that by the Earl of Aberdeen, 

 demonstrating the variations in form of plants which may be 

 produced from the seeds of a parent plant, which is itself 

 a sport. Thus, of three beech plants 5 years of age, grown 

 from seed taken from a fern-leaved beech, one plant had 

 the foliage of the common beech, another had purple leaves, 

 and the third had fern leaves, like the parent. 



Another very interesting exhibit was that of His Majesty 

 the King, per Mr John Michie, viz., two Scots pine logs with 

 two dressed boards of the timber, and two jars containing 

 sections of soil in which the trees were grown. 



Mr Baird of Durris exhibited six spars of exotic coniferous 

 trees grown in close plantation, and this exhibit was very 

 much appreciated. It clearly showed the influence of favourable 

 locality and correct silvicultural method on the growth of 

 some of the newer Coniferse. I'he examples shown were Sitka 

 spruce. Thuya gigatitea, Cupressus Laivsoniana, Abies nobilis, 

 A. grandis, and A. Nordtnanntana. The "spars" (a local 

 term for trees of a certain size) were excellent examples ol 

 well-grown trees, straight and without knots, but it does not 

 necessarily follow that those species will do as well where the 

 cHmatic conditions are different. The Durris experiments might 

 well be repeated in many other parts of the country. 



The arrangements connected with the Exhibition were 

 efficiently carried out by the Exhibition Committee, a great 

 deal of the work being done under the personal superintendence 

 of Mr C. S. France. The judges were Mr A. T. Gillanders, 

 Alnwick; Mr J. F. Annand, Armstrong College, Newcastle; 

 and Mr Donald Munro, timber merchant, Banchory. 



