l'2S TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



acres of woodland in Scotland." — " I forget whether the Scots fir 

 forests are returned annually with the agricultural returns or not 1 " 

 "I think they are." 



" Do you think that growing trees in Scotland is an industry 

 which is likely to be sufficiently useful from a national point of 

 view to make it the duty of the State to subsidise it ? " "I should 

 think so." — " Why ? " " Because I think timber is sure to rise in 

 value. Foreign competition will very likely fall off" as it gets more 

 inland and more expensive to bring it home, and the home timber 

 will rise in value." — "That has not been the process the last 

 twenty-five years ? " " No, it has not." 



" Are you able to say from your own experience whether these 

 great plantations at Strathspey and elsewhere have had any eff"ect 

 on the climate V "I think they have. I know of one plantation 

 that was cut down. There was a spring of water in it before the 

 trees were felled ; shortly after the trees were felled the spring 

 dried ; now it is replanted again, and they are up four or five feet 

 high, the waters have returned to the spring. The trees prevent 

 evaporation." — " Speaking generally, has the effect of the planta- 

 tions on the surrounding agricultural land been beneficial or other- 

 wise 1" " They have been beneficial as far as shelter is concerned. 

 A great number of farmers have applied to get a small portion of 

 their farms inclosed for the sake of the shelter." — " Can you say 

 whether it has affected the rainfall or not 1" "I could not say 

 whether it has, further than the instance I have given you about 

 the spring." 



" You just now said you calculated the profit upon certain 

 forests to be something like 7s. 6d. per acre ; what do you suppose 

 would be the value of that land to let for other purposes ; would it 

 be as much as that 1 " " No ; it would be worth about from 8d. to 

 Is. an acre." — "It is practically bog land or moor land?" "Not 

 bog land, but moor land, dry moor land." — " What do you think 

 it is worth for the shooting rent and the sheep rent?" "Well, 

 taking the two together, from Is. to Is. 3d. an acre." — " Have you 

 any knowledge of woodlands in England ? " "I have had experi- 

 ence in the Crown Woods both in the Dean Forest, and at Chop- 

 well, in the county of Durham." — " Do you think there are many 

 districts in England where it would be desirable to plant forests on 

 a large scale?" "Well, I have not sufficient knowledge of the 

 country to say." 



" Do Scottish proprietors have much difficulty now in finding 



