public opinion, it was one to which their attention might be 

 profitably directed — the connection, as pointed out in the Report, 

 between the occupation of land in small holdings and the em- 

 ployment of woodmen. In the Report it was stated that in a 

 great part of the German Empire the majority of the woodmen 

 employed had each small holdings, on which they were occupied 

 during the summer months, and that in winter, when the work 

 was most active in the forest and most inactive on the land, they 

 obtained regular employment. Our Government had directed 

 their attention, and had made several proposals, with the view 

 of establishing a class of small holdings. One result, as far as 

 it had gone, of the old age pension scheme, had been to show 

 the futility of expecting a family to be maintained in decent 

 circumstances upon a very small area of ground. The number 

 of Highland crofters who had received pensions under the scheme 

 showed that their means of living derived from the crofts alone 

 were very inadequate. But it became a totally different matter 

 when the industry of the crofters was supplemented by regular 

 employment during half or more than half of the year ; and the 

 point he wished to submit particularly for consideration was 

 how far the afforestation industry, once it was started, would 

 not only help to keep people on the land, but would enable 

 them to live on the land in comfortable circumstances? 



The Chairman thanked Sir Herbert Maxwell for his remarks. 



Minutes. 

 The Minutes of the General Meeting, which was held in the 

 Exhibition on 5th August 1908, and which have been printed and 

 issued along with the Transac/mis, were held as read and 

 approved. 



Report by the Council. 

 The Secretary then read the Report by the Council, as 

 follows : — 



Membership. 



At last Annual Meeting the Membership of the Society was 

 12 1 2. In the course of the year 204 new Members have been 

 elected, but 103 have either died, resigned, or lapsed, leaving a 

 total Membershipat this time of 1313. Amongst those who have 

 been removed by death may be mentioned, the Marquis of 

 Linlithgow, a former President of the Society; The Earl of 

 Leicester; Major Chadwick; Mr Gordon Wemyss of Torrie; 



