DEPARTMENTAL COMMITTEE ON BRITISH FORESTRY. 15 



Damage hy Sparks. 



31. Some adequate security against the raising of fires by 

 sparks from railway engines seems equally feasible and desirable. 

 Tnasmuch as a Bill dealing with this question, introduced during 

 the last session, has already received your support, it is not 

 necessary to dwell further upon this subject, than to urge the 

 desirability of some such Bill becoming law at the earliest 

 opportunity. 



Ground Game. 



32. The presence of ground game is ruinous to systematic 

 forestry and to sylviculture by natural regeneration. We think - 

 that, in the public interest, the owner of plantations who himself 

 keeps down ground game should have the right to recover 

 compensation for damage caused by hares and rabbits from 

 adjoining property. 



State Loans. 



33. It has been suggested that the State should advance loans 

 to encourage afforestation ; and interesting evidence has been led 

 as to whether timber grown under adequate inspection on a 

 regular plan, protected by shelter-belts, and insured against fire, 

 could not itself be made security for loans, apart altogether from 

 the laud upon which it is grown. Whilst agreeing that any such 

 scheme would most effectively tend towards the extension and 

 better management of woodlands, we advise that the State should 

 concentrate any efforts it may make upon the provision of 

 adequate facilities for instruction. Once adequate provision for 

 training is made, and the consequent improvement of our present 

 woodlands becomes manifest, it will then be opportune to raise 

 the subject either of loans, or of State forests, in favour of which 

 there is such a large consensus of expert opinion. At the same 

 time, attention may be called to the existing facilities provided by 

 Governments abroad for obtaining loans. 



Statistics of Woodlands. 



34. A clearer definition of the term " Woodlands " is required 

 for the preparation of Agricultural Returns and for the Ordnance 

 Survey. We recommend that returns be collected of the acreage 

 under wood, in continuation of the Board of Agriculture's Return 

 of 1895. In view of the evidence we have received as to the 



