Suggestion for a National Arboricultural Societies 551 



Akt. IX. The Formation of a National Society for the Pro- 

 motion of Arboriculture suggested ; and Hints on the Disease 

 prevailing in Plantations of the Larch Tree communicated. By 

 Mr. James Munro. 



" There is a pleasure in the pathless woods." Byron. 



Sir, 

 It is now nearly two years since I became a constant 

 reader of this Magazine : during which period I have often 

 had to regret that, while communications tending to promote 

 the interests of horticulture have poured in upon you from 

 every quarter, arboriculture has seemed to be totally disre- 

 garded. Now, Sir, to what cause can we attribute this 

 torpitude of feeling toward this valuable branch of rural eco- 

 nomy in practical men ; as well as in those from whom better 

 things are to be expected, the landowners ? The only reason 

 seems to be, the want of this great desideratum, a society 

 exclusively for the promotion of arboriculture : from such an 

 institution much may be reasonably expected. The import- 

 ant improvements which have been effected in our systems of 

 horticulture and agriculture since the establishment of their 

 respective societies in this country, and the fact, so obvious, 

 that we are deeply indebted to the impetus given by these 

 societies to the spirit of enquiry and improvement in various 

 branches of domestic economy, make it appear somewhat 

 unaccountable that a society exclusively for the promotion 

 of arboriculture has not been established even years ago. 

 That a national sylvan society would be productive of results 

 as important as either of the other societies have been in 

 their respective departments, will not admit of a doubt : nay, 

 the high pitch to which horticulture and agriculture have 

 arrived, warrant the conclusion that, if we had a more com- 

 prehensive means for collecting arboricultural information 

 than we at present have, we should be put in possession of 

 many valuable hints from persons employed in the manage- 

 ment of woods; which hints, otherwise, may perish with 

 those who can and would communicate them. It will be 

 admitted that our planting interest, in point of importance, 

 stands next to that of agriculture : but why it has been 

 denied the benefit of a separate focus for the concen- 

 tration of the widely scattered rays of information, while 

 horticulture has been so long indulged with this advantage, 

 is a problem which I leave for solution to the landed pro- 

 prietors ; who, in this instance, lose, and have lost, sight of 

 the pound in search of the penny. There certainly can be no 

 greater source of enjoyment to a country gentleman than that 



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