382 EDITORS BOX. [Maech, 



they started. The benefit of reservoirs would be twofold, as by 

 holding back storm water they would in some measure prevent that 

 dire calamity — summer floods. If there had been reservoirs con- 

 structed amongst the hills above Llandulas, it is hardly likely that 

 the rivulet which swept away the railway viaduct and deluged 

 Abergele — besides doing an immense amount of damage to property 

 in the district — would have gathered force enough to do the mischief 

 which not only caused such destruction, but was a great annoyance 

 and discomfort to thousands of tourists who were seeking health and 

 recreation in North Wales. 



W. Mainwaking. 



PLANTING IX IBELAND. 



Sir, — Dr. Howitz, Forest Conservator, Copenhagen, has made an 

 nspection in the south of Ireland in counection with the subject of 

 reafforesting the country, and in his report gives a list of forest trees 

 to be cultivated, with a few remarks on their habits, utilisation, cul- 

 tivation, and general character. The trees which will form the first 

 and most important part of the planting in Ireland will, according to 

 Dr. Howitz's opinion, consist of 36 different kinds of coniferoe, 54 

 kinds of hardwood, and 8 kinds of shrubs. At the end of this terrible 

 list of trees the doctor says ' that a more detailed and professional 

 description of each will be requisite for each district, will be neces- 

 sary, I am fully aware, tf experienced foresters from abroad are not 

 to be engaged for this work.' This is a sad stigma on the Scottish 

 Arboricultural Society and their boasted efforts in the interest of 

 training young foresters ; and as such I leave it, with the remark 

 that I have yet to learn wherein Continental trained men excel our 

 own British trained foresters. 



Turning our attention to Dr. Howitz's report, it appears to m^ 

 evident that he must have exhausted some nurseryman's catalogue of 

 forest trees to complete such a formidable list as he recommends to 

 be planted. I have no means of knowing whether this letter will 

 fall into the doctor's hands or not ; but all the same I have no alter- 

 native but to characterise his report as the most reckless thing of 

 the kind it has been my lot to peruse. The British forester is taught 

 the science of forestry, which comprehends and includes historic, 

 economic, sanitary and practical forestry, a training apparently 

 utterly beyond the capabilities of the Copenhagen doctor. Before 

 commencing to plant forest trees we must first consider the demand 

 for any particular timber, and then the site to be planted, to see 

 whether it is at all likely to produce the class of timber possibly 

 most in demand. This the Copenhagen Conservator of Forests 



