6i6 



SCIENCE PROGRESS 



antly criticised, but seems to have borne fruit, since in September 

 1910 the Commissioners appointed in connection with the De- 

 velopment Fund decided to postpone consideration of a scheme 

 for Ireland until the proposals now in formation by the Board 

 of Agriculture were before them. 



Further proof of serious contemplation of practical steps for 

 afforestation is furnished by clauses of the Development and 

 Road Improvement Funds Act, 1909. This Act provides amongst 

 other things for " the conducting of inquiries, experiments, and 

 research for the purpose of promoting forestry and the teaching 

 of methods of afforestation," and " for the purchase and planting 

 of land found after inquiry to be suitable for afforestation." 



PART II 



Passing from a resume of the history of forestry in Great 

 Britain, it is necessary to examine the effects of forest on a 

 country and its inhabitants, and more particularly those which 

 have recently brought forestry into prominence, or which justify 

 the serious consideration of afforestation in the United Kingdom. 



The investigation may conveniently be made by considering 

 forestry in relation to — 



(i) The employment of land. (2) The employment of 

 capital. (3) The employment of labour, and (4) The indirect 

 effects produced. 



The Employment of Land 



According to the agricultural statistics for 1909 (Ireland 

 1908) the land in the United Kingdom is at present utilised 

 as follows : 



' Including water in the case of Jersey. 



^ Includes 1,315,798 acres of turf-bog and marsh. 



