REPORT OF THE SELECT COMiMITTEE ON FORESTRY. 115 



" It destroys them altogether, and in England also, I saw an in- 

 stance the other day, where they were just as bad, in Hampshire." 

 — " What tree would you j^lant 1 " " Scots fir is the surest to plant 

 in Scotland on our hills. Scots fir and birch." — " How long is it 

 before Scots fir comes to maturity 1 " " Scots fir will continue to 

 grow until it is 120 years old, but it is fit for the market before 

 that time." — " How soon would you make a final cutting of a 

 Scots fir plantation at the greatest profit 1 " " Not sooner than eighty 

 years." — "About two generations 1 " "Yes." — " Do you think then 

 that planting Scots fir upon ground that can be rented at almost 

 any money is a paying operation commercially 1" "I would not 

 advise planting moorland if it were worth from 7s. 6d. to 10s. for 

 pasture purposes. There is plenty not worth Is. which ought to be 

 planted first ; the least valuable ought to be the first planted, and 

 not beyond a certain altitude. Scots fir might be advantageously 

 planted up to an altitude of 1500 feet, but not higher. I think it 

 would be prudent to limit the planting of larch to between 1000 

 feet and 1200 feet." — " Your opinion is that there is a considerable 

 quantity of land in Scotland which might be commercially profit- 

 ably planted with some kind of tree ] " " Certainly." 



"Have you tried the Douglas fir at all in Scotland 1" "Yes." 

 — " Do you think that a good tree 1 " " In certain situations it is. 

 It is a fast-growing tree, but it ought only to be planted on land 

 suitable to spruce firs." — " Is there any deciduous tree which you 

 would recommend to be planted 1 " " Yes ; ash, sycamore, and 

 oak. Oak used to be planted extensively for the purpose of form- 

 ing coppices, but now oak coppices do not pay. The only place 

 where it would be of advantage is in steep ravines." — " Do you 

 think that any amount of learning or foresight could possibly lead 

 a man to know what would be the proper timber to plant to come 

 into the market in fifty or sixty years 1" "1 have not the slightest 

 doubt of it." — " You think it is possible ? " " Quite possible, un- 

 less it were to be attacked by an insect such as the larch is ; of 

 course no human foresight could prevail against that." — " What do 

 you think would be the timber to be profitable fifty or sixty years 

 hence V "I think at present Scots fir on moorland is most likely 

 to be profitable." 



" With regard to the diseases of the larch and of trees generally, 

 you said that you thought foresters ought to have a knowledge of 

 the diseases of trees, and a knowledge of entomology, as insects 

 create a great many of these diseases. Would it not be possible 



