94 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
from the nursery lines to mature crops of 120 years old, together 
with the methods of manipulating and creosoting the manu- 
factured timber. Having regard to the brevity of human life, 
as compared with that of the trees, the photographs in question 
illustrated the fact that it is only by thus bringing together a 
series of individuals in their successive stages that we can get a 
view of the progressive development of a crop; and further, 
that first-class forestry can only be attained by a succession of 
good foresters co-operating with a succession of equally able 
owners. 
In Section IV. the same exhibitor showed a very fine collec- 
tion of timbers, both as sawn boards and as hand specimens, 
all beautifully mounted and carefully labelled. In addition 
to this exhibit, the Earl of Yarborough showed a very 
large collection of creosoted and uncreosoted wood grown in 
various soils and situations, together with a very elaborate 
exhibit of 158 different kinds of home-grown woods 
naturally dried, and then creosoted under pressure, all the 
kinds being treated at one operation, and the results obtained 
were tabulated on a large printed sheet. The Duke of 
Northumberland showed small samples of creosoted wood 
illustrating the creosoting of zaturally dried wood by absorption, 
boiling, and under pressure respectively. The question of 
creosoting timber, when carefully studied, is more intricate 
and interesting than appears on the surface, but from a purely 
estate point of view, we derive from the exhibits of these two 
noblemen three important lessons, vizi—(1) that as timber 
must be thoroughly dried before tt ts creosoted, natural drying is 
the best estaze method of preparation; (2) that all kinds of 
timber take in more or less creosote; and (3) that, according 
to circumstances, each of the methods—pressure, boiling, and 
absorption—may give good results. 
In Section IV. the Duke of Northumberland showed specimens 
illustrating the effect of dense and of thin crops in branch sup- 
pression and on the quality of the timber. Two of the examples 
sent in may be noted. A large portion of a stem taken from 
the centre of a pure Scots pine wood 70 years of age, © 
showed the evil effects of too early thinning. The clean 
portion of the base of the stem was no doubt the result of 
thick planting, and the thick branches seen at the top were 
probably produced in consequence of the plantation having 
