lO 



much to the forester, and if we could only have regular con- 

 tinuity of policy I feel sure the Commission could carry out 

 their work more satisfactorily. There is, of course, the further 

 point that as regards the actual cost, if the programme is 

 reduced by one or two or four thousand acres all the head- 

 quarters charges still go on, and they are charged against the 

 forests, and the torests become in consequence burdened with a 

 greater amount of headquarters charges than they should be. 



" There is another point on which I might say a word. 

 During the last two winters the Forestry Commission were 

 asked to find a certain amount of work for the unemployed, and 

 this was done in various ways. Some of the money was used in 

 the Forestry Commission's own properties in the Crown woods^ 

 some by various Corporations who were engaged in planting— 

 Glasgow, Dundee, Stirling, and one or two others ; and the 

 remainder was given to individuals to assist them in either 

 planting or clearing areas of scrub and rubbish, draining or 

 fencing, so as to be ready to plant. The only conditions were 

 that planting must be passed after inspection, and that the 

 people who were employed were people who would otherwise 

 be on the rolls of the unemployed. It was quite well recognised 

 that the work of the unemployed men unaccustomed to forestry 

 was not as good as the work of the regular forester, and therefore 

 the proprietors were given this sum to make up that difference 

 between the less efficient work of the unemployed and the work 

 of the regular forester. Under this scheme some ;/^37,ooo was 

 expended by the Commission in Scotland." 



On the motion of Mr Whitton a vote of thanks was recorded 

 to Colonel Fothringham. 



Address. 



The Earl of Moray then delivered his Presidential Address, 

 the subject of which was the history of the Darnaway Forest. 

 (The text of the Address will be found in this part of the 

 Transactions.) 



Sir Andrew Agnew, in moving a vote of thanks to the Earl 

 for his Address, congratulated the Society on having secured as 

 President a proprietor who took such a keen and living interest 

 in his forests. 



