TKANSACTIONS 



OF THE 



EOYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



i6. Discussion on the Relation of Forestry to 

 Agriculture and other Industries. 



At the Annual General Meeting of the Society on 17th 

 February, a discussion on the " Relation of Forestry to Agri- 

 culture and other Industries " was held in place of a formal 

 address. 



In opening the discussion, Mr Sydney J. Gammell of 

 Drumtochty said : — " Mr Chairman and gentlemen, I trust that 

 the members will not look upon this as a formal paper prepared 

 to be read at a Philosophical Society, but as just the commence- 

 ment of a discussion in which I hope a very large number of the 

 members of the Society present will take part. This is a very 

 large subject, and one which, I think, needs attention drawn to 

 it, and I am very much flattered at being allowed to open the 

 discussion and to make a public statement on a subject which I 

 consider is important, and which at all events requires looking 

 into. Now I do not think I need bother you by going into the 

 various climatic conditions which are affected by the planting of 

 trees. I wish to come at once to close grips with this subject, 

 and to show how agriculture in particular is aff"ected by the 

 planting of woods themselves, and that various industries are 

 created and an increased amount of labour is necessitated by the 

 planting of these woods. This subject has been enlarged since 

 it was first suggested in the Council, and has been made to 

 include other industries as well as agriculture. I hope some 

 other members will take up those other industries, as I intend to 

 confine myself to the one question. Now, in order to get to that 

 question we have first to ask ourselves what is the object of 

 afforestation? I think I may put it shortly in this way — to 

 utilise land which is at present either unutilised, or is not utilised 

 to the best advantage. I wish, in the first place, to disabuse 



VOL. XXVII. PART II. I 



