had been advocating that poHcy for many years, and in view of 

 that Report the Council thought it judicious to pass a Resolution 

 on somewhat different lines from that passed on 5th December, 

 and referred to in their Report. The Resolution he would now 

 submit was in the following terms : — " The Royal Scottish 

 Arboricultural Society heartily recognises the impetus given to 

 afforestation by the Report of the Royal Commission on Coast 

 Erosion ; it would again urge the Government, as an essential 

 preliminary to any great scheme of national afforestation, to 

 create a Board or Commission of Forestry in order that a survey 

 may be made forthwith of lands suitable for silviculture ; that 

 large Demonstration areas be purchased and other facilities 

 provided for a regular system of silvicultural training and 

 research." He moved that this Resolution be adopted, and the 

 following deputation be appointed to wait upon the Chancellor 

 of the Exchequer, and other Ministers, namely: — The President, 

 the Hon. Secretary, Sir John Stirling-Maxwell, Sir Hugh Shaw 

 Stewart, Sir Herbert Maxwell, Mr W. Steuart Fothringham, Mr 

 A. T. Gillanders, Mr John Michie, Mr John Crozier, Dr 

 Borthwick, Mr Grant Thomson, Mr G. U. Macdonald, Mr Adam 

 Spiers, Mr D, F. Mackenzie, and the Presidents of the Aberdeen 

 and Northern Branches. Mr D. F. Mackenzie seconded the 

 Resolution. 



Mr MuNRO Ferguson, speaking in support of the Resolution, 

 said there were two objects it was well to bear in mind — to 

 secure combination between the practical forester and the expert, 

 and between the State and the private owner. Whether as 

 foresters or as experts, they always had a " guid conceit o' 

 themselves " — sometimes better, perhaps, than they had of one 

 another. The expert and the practical forester had to be 

 blended in order to do their part in carrying out any great 

 system of afforestation. So also with the private owner and the 

 State, who would have to combine in one scheme for the 

 national interests. They must look before they leap in that 

 matter, and while they were very grateful to the Coast Erosion 

 Commission for the interest their Report had excited, before that 

 huge undertaking could be set about they must have the 

 machinery by which it might be made a success. At the present 

 moment it would be unwise to set off at once, because whatever 

 had been done in Scotland was the result of private initiative. 

 Even in England, he thought, many of their foresters would be 



