THE CONFERENCE AND DINNER. 217 



think it necessary for me to say more than that I very much 

 appreciate your very kind invitation to be here to-night, and 

 your appreciation of the welcome that we have given you to-day. 

 If you meet in Edinburgh on the next Jubilee Celebrations, I am 

 sure the Lord Provost of the day will be glad to welcome you." 



The Chairman said : — " I have to call on Dr Borthwick to 

 propose a toast which I think should have been printed in larger 

 type, the toast of ' Our Guests.' " 



Dr Borthwick said: — "I rise with great pleasure to propose 

 this important toast. Our guests have come from all parts of the 

 world, and they have made a thorough inspection of Scotland. 

 Our honoured guests are men who in their own countries occupy 

 high and distinguished positions as scientists and foresters, and 

 they have been chosen by their respective countries to represent 

 them at our Diamond Jubilee. They have given us their opinion 

 regarding forestry conditions in Scotland, and also as regards the 

 possible future developments of Scottish forestry. That opinion 

 has been extremely favourable, and will go far to promote the 

 development of forestry in this country. We regret that one or 

 two countries found it impossible to send representatives on the 

 present occasion, but they have sent their congratulations to the 

 Society on the occasion of its Diamond Jubilee, and cordial 

 wishes for its continued prosperity. From time to time, distin- 

 guished foresters from France, Germany, Sweden, America and 

 Japan have visited Scotland and pronounced very favourable 

 opinions as regards her future forestry possibilities. This Society, 

 which is the oldest arboricultural society in the Empire, is 

 celebrating its Diamond Jubilee, and it is absolutely certain, and 

 therefore quite safe to say, that on no previous occasion has 

 there ever been assembled at one time in this country a company 

 of foresters so distinguished as our foreign guests. I can safely 

 say that we have represented here the highest talent and know- 

 ledge which the world can produce. Our honoured guests, in 

 addition to bringing a vast amount of skill and scientific 

 knowledge, which they have freely imparted to us, are also 

 most excellent linguists. We have had no difficulty in exchang- 

 ing ideas with them in our own language, and that has been very 

 valuable to us, because we have all been able to converse with 

 our guests, and thereby to learn a great amount of new and 

 useful knowledge, as well as having confirmed ideas and opinions 

 which we previously held. As Editor of the Transactions, I am 



VOL. XXVIII. PART II. p 



