74 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



the foresters who have supported us wholeheartedly ; and the 

 statesmen who have helped us at times when we had not 

 sufficient votes to carry on our work. We have had help and 

 encouragement from such a large percentage of those who are 

 interested in this subject, that we can afford to allow the snipers 

 in the back rows to snipe to their heart's content, and wish them 

 well." Concluding, his Lordship wished the Societies and the 

 Empire Forestry Association every success. 



Before calling on the several speakers to reply on behalf of 

 their respective societies, the Chairman said: — "Gentlemen, 

 before I call on the Duke of Atholl, I should like to explain 

 that the order in which these toasts come is not due to the fact 

 that so many of my fellow-countrymen from the North happen 

 to be in the company. The responses are placed in order of 

 seniority^ not because we put Scotland first, and the Empire 

 last, and England in the middle. I have to call upon the Duke 

 of Atholl who represents the senior Forestry society here." 



The Duke of Atholl, replying on behalf of the Royal Scottish 

 Arboricultural Society, also pointed to the coming timber famine 

 and to the help forestry can be in keeping the population in 

 the country as sound reasons for a wise afforestation policy. 

 Taxation at 14s. 6d. per;^i was the chief obstacle to planting 

 by private owners, to whom much more sympathy and good 

 support should be extended, as they could not expect to reap 

 any personal benefit from the expenditure. There was a great 

 temptation to invest their money in more profitable ways, but he 

 believed the proper place to invest one's money was' in one's 

 own country, if possible. As an example of the benefits of an 

 enlightened policy, his Grace cited the case of his own estates. 

 His ancestor of a century ago, realising that timber would be 

 required for the next big war, had undertaken a great planting 

 campaign, and the forests thus created had been used up in the re- 

 cent war. It was now our duty to see that the future was similarly 

 provided for ; and he would recommend a remission of taxation to 

 landlords rather than a grant after a heavy drain by the Treasury. 

 The Chairman then intimated that Col. Courthorpe's attend- 

 ance at the Palace prevented him from being present, but that 

 Professor Somerville had kindly taken his place, and would 

 reply on behalf of the Royal English Arboricultural Society. 

 The Professor said that since he began lecturing in Edinburgh 

 some thirty-five years ago, private enterprise in forestry had been 



