THE CONDITION OF FORESTRY IX BPJTAIN. 175 



ensuing year. Were we to employ such a planting method upon 

 light soils in Germany, probably not 5 per cent, of the plants would 

 remain alive ! 



In later growth, the effect of this notch-planting is very 

 frequently seen in stems that are bent near the ground, and in 

 the delayed development of the plants. The roots acquire a fairly 

 normal form only after a protracted period. Professor Schlich 

 informed me that after thirty years the results of this cultural 

 practice are still recognisable. The ever-ready excuse for notch- 

 planting is that it is cheap. But this I contend is not the case, 

 because the ultimate result is not attained without further cost. 

 To adopt a surer method, and to use smaller plants, would, without 

 doubt, be an economy. 



The most serious enemy of the young plantation is the rabbit. 

 In England and Scotland rabbits have become a national scourge. 

 Generally plantings can be raised only when protected by very 

 costly wire-netting fences. In the north of Scotland, hares, 

 particularly Lepus variabilis, cause much damage. 



This description will no doubt be sufficient to show that the 

 condition of the wooded area is, according to German views, far 

 from being satisfactory. Still less favourable, however, is the 

 general picture when one considers the great stretches of land as a 

 whole. The northern part of the country has but a limited area 

 under tillage : most of it lies waste, or is only used for grazing, while 

 the woods are poor and ill-arranged. To fully discuss the origin 

 of this state of affairs would quite exceed the limits of this article. 

 It is quite impossible to go into the question of agrarian policy 

 which is so intimately associated with the question — the conditions 

 of the ownership of land, and the returns from farming. I must 

 here confine myself to forest policy. 



The reason of the poor development of forestry is attributable 

 first of all to the absence of a large connected ai-ea of State forest. 

 In other countries the State has led the way in the transition from 

 primitive forest utilisation to systematised management of woods. 

 Methods of treatment and general guidance towards the better 

 handling of woods were effected in past times by the aid of 

 regulations issued by the State. More recently, intervention has 

 rather gone along the lines of providing technical instruction; but 

 private forest owners learn the broad principles of forest treatment, 

 and the practices which it is best to follow, most effectively from 

 well managed State woods. This is not possible in England. 

 The existing State property is too small and too scattered to be 



