66 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



take into its own hands, he would not say the conservancy of our 

 forests, but the re-afforestation of portions of the soil. That 

 was a matter which deserved the consideration of statesmen. 

 The policy of the age had had effects on the land of this country, 

 which were not encouraging to the investment of capital in land. 

 Events were marching very rapidly, and the events of the present 

 year had been such as to afford anything but encouragement to 

 the owners of land. Therefore he thought that when we legis- 

 lated in the direction which the new views now so much in 

 favour appeared to indicate, a matter which should occupy the 

 serious attention of our statesmen and political leaders was 

 whether they might not do something to applying capital to the 

 renewal and increasing of our forests. 



Mr. Webster said he was very pleased with Mr. Forbes's 

 paper. He condemned the " fallacy " of the " mixed plantation " 

 system. 



Mr. Geo. Paul said he could not help thinking that the 

 Society was fulfilling one of its best functions in endeavouring 

 to improve forestry. The question of leaf-canopy, mentioned by 

 Mr. Forbes, was a novelty to him, and seemed to carry great 

 weight with it. The only statement on which he differed from 

 the writer of the paper was that in which he said that we ought to 

 confine ourselves to native trees, because in certain parts of 

 England there might be climatic risks. He thought the papers 

 they had heard that day were of such practical value that all the 

 Fellows of the Society would be glad to read them. He would, 

 therefore, propose a hearty vote of thanks on behalf of the 

 Fellows of the Society to the writers. 



Mr. Geo. Bunyard seconded the motion. 



The Conference then terminated. 



