loS TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Among the rarer woods, which might be more grown and 

 which would be much more used in cabinet work if they could 

 be got with any certainty, are cedar, gean (wild cherry), 

 mulberry, laburnum, holly, cherry and yew. Yew stands 

 almost by itself. It is a most beautiful wood for cabinet work, 

 and owing to its scarcity it is almost always used in the form 

 of veneer. If left for some length of time in pond water, or 

 better, if a log can be got that has been long submerged in a 

 bog, it becomes a lovely purplish violet colour, cooler in colour 

 than the famous West Indian King wood which the French 

 are so fond of using in their fine veneered cabinet work. 



Let us hope that one of the indirect results of this disastrous 

 war may be to stimulate interest in the use of all our 

 home products. If users of timber will demand home 

 timber in any work, whether building or furniture, in which 

 they may be interested, the battle will be already won and the 

 public will soon follow. 



Whenever home timber comes to what is called a " brisk 

 inquiry," it will be worth while for the home timber merchant 

 to employ his capital in stocking and seasoning it. 



15. Meeting with Development Commissioners. 



At a special meeting of the Council, held on 8th March, the 

 President reported that he had received a letter from Sir William 

 Haldane, suggesting that the Council might appoint repre- 

 sentatives to confer with the Development Commissioners on 

 the subject of afforestation of land in private ownership. He 

 said that such an invitation could not be ignored, and he 

 proposed that it should be accepted. The Council agreed, and 

 appointed the President, Mr Price, and the Secretary, as the 

 Council's representatives. The meeting took place on Friday, 

 7th April, and on reporting to the Council the committee were 

 authorised to send the following letter to the Development 



Commissioners : — 



" 19 Castle Stree 1, 

 " Edinburgh, 14M April 1916. 



" Sir, — Our committee reported to the Council of the Society 

 on Saturday, 8th inst., what took place at the informal discussion 

 on Friday with representatives of the Development Com- 



