228 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Again, 



" Everything was absolutely haphazard. The thing is now systematised, 

 and runs perfectly smoothly. I know what it will cost me every j'ear. I 

 can make exact estimates of expenditure, and I am even now able, from the 

 natm'al capabilities of the place, to practically make the returns balance the 

 expenditure, but of course what I am really trying to do is to build up a 

 property which will be valuable to my son and my grandson." 



Then he was asked, 



"You believe that the question of forestry is one of considerable importance 

 to landowners ?" 



Answer : — 



" I think it is of immense importance. I do not think English landowners 

 have the slightest conception of the money they are throwing away, or that 

 this country realises the amount of undeveloped pro^jerty there is in forestry 

 in this country." 



Afforestation must not be regarded merely as a method of 

 utilising land which would otherwise remain unproductive. It 

 can claim much more than this. Indeed, for a large proportion of 

 these waterworks' areas, timber-growing may justly claim to be 

 the most profitable use to which the land could be applied. 



As to the effect of trees upon the yield and quality of the water 

 collected, it cannot be otherwise than beneficial. I do not know 

 of any exact gaugings of the flow from forest areas as compared 

 with the same or similar ai-eas free from trees, but there can be no 

 doubt that, having regard to the diminished evaporation and other 

 influences, a larger percentage of rain will reach the reservoirs 

 from forest areas than from the same areas without trees. The 

 quality of the water will also be better, owing to the soil on the 

 slopes of the hills being held together by the roots of the trees, 

 and the destructive effects of the heavy rains in carrying down 

 huge masses of clay and soil being prevented. These matters 

 have been very fully investigated in the United States of 

 America. The Yeai'-Book of the Department of Agriculture for 

 1902 contains a report upon forest planting, in which the 

 following statement is made : — 



"A forest furnishes the best possible cover for the watersheds of storage 

 reservoirs. For this reason luUy as much as for the financial one, several 



