324 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
owing to the unprofitable nature of sheep farming, depreciated 
to such an extent that it could be bought more cheaply than at 
any other time in his experience. Sir Herbert further pointed 
out that where one man was employed as a shepherd a con- 
siderable number of men would be employed on the same extent 
of land under afforestation, which would tend to check the flow 
of population from the country districts to the towns. 
Mr Munro Ferguson, who followed, especially urged the 
necessity of a responsible authority to take charge of forestry, 
either by the appointment of a Board of Forestry, or the forma- 
tion of a special department within the Board of Agriculture. The 
necessity for such an authority was shown by the fact that he 
and others interested in the question had for years been trying 
to bring the matter before Government, and had been sent 
backwards and forwards between the Office of Woods and 
Forests, the Board of Agriculture and the Scotch Education 
department, and all with very little result. He further asked 
that a sum of £100,000 should be set aside for the purchase 
of suitable areas in England and Scotland for educational and 
experimental purposes, and a sum of £10,000 a year to equip 
and maintain them until they become remunerative. He thought 
these were the smallest sums for which the recommendations of 
the Departmental Committee of 1902 could be carried out. 
Lord Lovat asked that the department charged with the care 
of forestry should carry out experiments in different parts of the 
country and at different altitudes, and should furnish the results 
of these experiments to proprietors who were desirous of 
afforesting their land. In the meantime, owing to the lack 
of foresters of sufficiently varied experience, each proprietor had 
to make experiments for himself, and a great deal of time was 
lost before he could get any reliable results. He also pointed 
out that afforestation would give employment to many men in the 
Highlands of Scotland at a time of year when employment is 
scarce. During’the summer and autumn many men got employ- 
ment on the land, and in connection with sport, but afforestation 
would afford them employment in the winter months during 
which they were now idle. 
Mr Steuart Fothringham pointed out that if schemes of 
afforestation were to be undertaken, either by the State or by 
private individuals, it was necessary that they should be under 
the supervision of competent foresters. It was most important» 
