be to a large extent during the next half century, it will be a 

 great satisfaction for this Society to feel that in that particular 

 branch of the work, as in every other branch of the work in 

 Scotland, it has distinctly taken the lead. I have reason to 

 know that in this country, and in England and in foreign 

 countries, the publication of this book has convinced people who 

 may have doubted it before that this Society is really in earnest 

 in this work, and also has some understanding of the work to 

 which it has put its hand. We are grateful indeed to Lord Lovat 

 and to Captain Stirling for the work they did in writing that 

 book. 



" Reference has been made to some correspondence between 

 the Council and the Secretary for Scotland on the subject of the 

 organisation for forestry in this country. As you are aware the 

 Development Commission was, at its appointment, instructed 

 to make provision for forestry and was furnished with funds for 

 that purpose. Lord Pentland appointed a small Committee, 

 of which I, as President for the time being of this Society, was 

 asked to be chairman in order to draft proposals which might 

 be laid by the Secretary for Scotland before the Development 

 Commission for consideration. That Committee finished its 

 work shortly before the New Year and sent in its report. The 

 report has not yet been published. The holidays have inter- 

 vened and the Secretary for Scotland has had little time to 

 consider it, but I have no doubt it will be very soon published. 

 I hope when it is published that every member will approve of 

 it, and that when you read it you will find that my colleagues 

 and I have proposed exactly the scheme which you had in 

 your mind. We tried to be guided by common sense, and my 

 own belief is that the members of this Society who read the 

 report will find a scheme on paper which they will like very 

 much but -which at all events will not surprise them, because 

 they will think, I hope, that it is the outcome of the situation 

 as we have learned to know it. I may also remark that the 

 proposal is of a moderate character, and therefore we hope it 

 will be carried into effect. 



" As to the body which ultimately is to see to this business, 

 I should like to say a word or two. Lord Pentland has made 

 the very welcome announcement that there is to be attached to 

 the Board of Agriculture in Scotland a Department of Forestry. 



