46 



past when conditions were quite as favourable, and small 

 progress was made." 



Mr G. F. Barbour of Bonskeid asked if the Council had any 

 special plan or method in view of bringing this resolution 

 prominently to the attention of one or two Ministers, and of as 

 many of the Scottish Members of Parliament as are still 

 attending to political duties. It seemed to him that this was a 

 time at which it might be possible, now that political considera- 

 tions of the ordinary kind were largely laid on one side, for the 

 Society arranging for prominent influential constituents in 

 different parts of Scotland to write to their members on this 

 subject. A circular arriving with a covering letter from a 

 society was apt to go right into the waste-paper basket. 



The Chairman said that nothing of that particular kind has 

 been done, but that the intention of the Council was that this 

 resolution should be sent, not only to Ministers, but to all 

 Members for Scotland, asking their special attention to it. The 

 Council also intended to follow the matter up if they did not 

 find progress had been made. 



Mr J. H. DoDS, Factor, Novar, said : — " Is it intended that the 

 Society should hint in any way as to what they think should be 

 done in the way of preparing a scheme? This resolution is 

 rather general, and does not give any guidance, though perhaps 

 the Board of Agriculture would not desire an offer of guidance ; 

 but it appears to me there is one point which should be 

 considered in that light since this pit-wood question has cropped 

 up, and that is, that land on which the trees have been felled 

 should be re-planted, and that proprietors who have been felling 

 should be encouraged to re-plant by some arrangement of 

 Government loan, if possible. I know that the question was 

 discussed before, but not in the light of the enormous want of 

 pit-wood which is being felt, and if the Government could lend 

 money f6r drainage to bury i^-inch pipes in deep clayey land, 

 they could advance money for putting good young trees on the 

 surface of the ground where they are always in evidence, and 

 where security is ever increasing in value. I should like the 

 Society to draw attention in some way to the necessity for 

 borrowing powers from Parliament." 



The Chairman said : — " I think the Board of Agriculture is in 

 no doubt whatever as to what this Society desires. Suggestions 

 have been made many times to them, and they know what our 



