202 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



forestry students, as for English. During the past year this 

 subject has received much attention from the Commissioners. 

 Two estates (one in Aberdeenshire and one in Kincardineshire) 

 were brought to their notice as worthy of consideration for the 

 purposes of a national demonstration area ; but the Commis- 

 sioners were advised that neither of them is suitable. The 

 Board of Agriculture, however, were disposed to think that the 

 Aberdeenshire estate would be satisfactory, and made provisional 

 application in December last for an advance of ;^i 00,000 to 

 meet expenditure on its purchase and equipment. 



" On the whole question the Commissioners have heard the 

 views of the University of Edinburgh, and have conferred 

 repeatedly with representatives of the Board of Agriculture for 

 Scotland and of the Scottish Advisory Committee on Forestry. 

 They are now endeavouring to frame a scheme which would 

 render available for forestry demonstration and instruction a 

 large area near the geographical centre of Scotland ; and 

 sincerely hope that that scheme, if it can be reduced to a definite 

 and practical shape, will be accepted by all concerned as a 

 reasonable solution of a difficult problem. 



" They have been in communication during the year with the 

 Board of Agriculture for Scotland on another question of 

 importance, viz., the afforestation of privately owned lands. 

 As soon as the 'test case' of the afforestation of the Liverpool 

 vv^ater-catchment area at Lake Vrynwy is settled ^ they hope to 

 enter into communication with one or two of the Scotch munici- 

 palities in regard to similar schemes ; the Dundee area at 

 Lintrathen in Forfarshire was inspected some time ago and parts 

 of it were reported to be suitable. But they have been advised 

 that advances cannot legally be made from the Development 

 Fund to private individuals to assist them in afforesting their 



^ " Last year the Commissioners gave the terms of a statement which they 

 had issued for the guidance of local authorities who might contemplate 

 applying for State aid in carrying out schemes of afforestation on areas under 

 their control, and mentioned that they had received communications on the 

 subject from several of the great municipalities. With one of these munici- 

 palities, viz. Liverpool, negotiations were well advanced at the commencement 

 of 1913-14, and the Commissioners thought it best to concentrate on the 

 settlement of that scheme, in order that it might serve as a guide for others. 

 The first application of a novel character is bound to raise questions which 

 require time and care ; but when they have been settled in one case, the 

 principles on which that case has been decided can more easily be adapted to 

 other schemes of a like character." 



