2 14 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



justify afforestation, and the State alone, which can afford the 

 expenses. The State has everything ready to its hand to assist 

 silviculture in the initial work in the form of the Development 

 Commission. It is no secret perhaps that the Commission have 

 for long been considering the question of State aid for afforesta- 

 tion, and that in England and Ireland considerable grants have 

 already been made. Let me urge respectfully upon the 

 Commissioners, and I am glad to see one here to-night, that in 

 the opinion of this Society the time for action in Scotland has 

 arrived. Let them lay before us the terms upon which they 

 are prepared to assist afforestation, and so long as these terms 

 are founded upon a knowledge of the conditions and the needs 

 of Scotland, and upon just dealing between man and man, 

 they are sure of a good reception from us, 



" One other word I would say to the Commissioners, with a 

 great sense of responsibility and with all respect. In this great 

 national purpose there is room for all who are willing to work, 

 and, therefore, let the Commissioners see to it that they do not 

 reject for any unworthy reason the help and advice of those who 

 are best able to help and advise them. Possibly the Develop- 

 ment Commission is not an ideal body for dealing with a 

 great national object like afforestation. It will probably surprise 

 our guests to learn that afforestation is dependent for any doles 

 it may receive upon a body of which only one member has 

 had any silvicultural training, and that that member has had 

 no practical experience in Scotland ; further, that silviculture 

 has to compete not only with the legitimate claims of agriculture 

 and kindred industries, but with any number of schemes and 

 devices which may be brought before the Commissioners. 

 Therefore, there is a danger of silviculture being regarded by 

 the Commissioners not as a great national industry, but as 

 one crank amongst many other cranks. The Society demands 

 for Scotland what almost every country possesses — -a State 

 Forest Department with separate funds for silviculture and 

 silviculture alone. This we believe is the first step towards 

 real progress, and we shall continue to advocate it with 

 increased conviction of its necessity. This is neither the 

 time nor the place for detailed study of a complete scheme of 

 afforestation, but I venture to lay before you four elementary 

 conditions which seem to be indispensable for the success of 

 any scheme. They are: (i) The scheme must be conciliatory, 



