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46He stressed the desirability of more intensive ~oil research oy specialinvestigators in close alliance with the general practitioners and of aninstitute in the country concerned not only with the classification ofsoils but with the study of the effect of cultural operations and especiallyof tree growth on the local soils. The capacity of tree crops· for · improvingsoils in contrast with farm crops which remove food substancesfrom the soil needed to be emphasised and was also a subject wo:·thyof ~pecial investigation.Mr. J. A. K. Meldrum, in seconding, supported Dr. Gallagher's viewson the importance of the relationship of the soil to the underlying geologicalformation with ;,'.me striking examples from his own experiencewhere selection of species had to be altered in conformity with changing. rock formation. Factors of altitude and exposure 'were qf greatimportance in restricting forestry operations on otherwise suitable soils.Mr. T. McEvoy, in supporting the vote of thanks. pointe\i out thatthe vegetation had an influence on the soil besides !:leing effected by thesoil and that the same soil might carry different types of vegetations Theuse of vegetation in selecting species might in such cases lead todifferentselections. He expressed doubt as to the permanent effect of subsoilingof moorland soils with tractor ploughing which might in areasof heavy rainfall result in rapid leaching and a loss of any advantagegained by ploughing. He also drew attention to the . varying effect ofBeech on the soil depending upon varying climatic conditions. It wasnot always a soil-improving species and might have harmful effects.These were problems in which the soil specialist could help the forester.Mr. M. O'Beirne also stressed the importance of the underlying 'rock in its effect on the soil, especially where it comes near the surface.Tree roots cannot penetrate downwards If the rock is not fractured orporom. The effect of underlying liT-.estone on the soil is specially strikingand the use of marl for improving peat lands both for farming andforestry is well known. The presence of mycorrhizal fungi in vld woodlandswas a point for consideration in selecting species for repl,mting. Intelligentuse of the surface vegetation by the forester would result infew serious mistakes in planting.Mr. T. McCarthy quoted an interesting case where soil analysis haddetermined a deficiency of manganese and potash in a soil where ornamentaltrees and shrubq had proved failures and where, on theseminerals being introduced, excellent results were obtained. He thoughtthat soil analyses were very essential when establishing new forestnurseries.Mr. T. Clear, suppurting, said that foresters had rather neglectedthe study of soils because they could not be simply classified and wereremarkably variable. Reliance had been placed in the vegetation .as aguide to selection of species. Vegetation refiected the nature .of theupper soil layers which were important at the time -of establ,i~hmentbut later on the deeper layers rf soil would have important effects onthe forest and on the timber and study of- soil type become~ important.The furest and the individual' species of trees' had an important infiuenceonthe soil. The importance of humu9 in the forest soil could not beover-estimated :lnd the nature of the soil had an important effect onthe quality of the humus. Soils well supplied with a mild form ofhumus were good plznting SUbjects. Difficult sites were those with alack of humus or an accumulation of humus in the form of peat etc.Species had to be varied accoroingly. A better knowledge of thenature of the soil. types of humus and th~ living organism, associatedwith it was important to ~he forester. This would become all the morenecessary the more the forester was forced to work upon poorer andpoorer areas as the !:letter area, became planted. It was very desirablethat as a result of stud:y and experi~nce. a tradition in forestry mattersshould be bUIlt up as It would be III tIme-such as already exists inagriculture and stock-raising.The President in conveying the vote of thanks, said that Dr.Galla~her hasI son:ewhat shake ~l his faith in the value of plant indicatorsfor SOIl claSSIficatIOn. As a result of the lecture more attention wouldprobab~y be paid to the soil itself, and not merely to the vegetation ontop ot It. He had been interested, in listening to the discussion to notehow many different aspects of the subject had been touched upo~ by the