REPORT BY THE JUDGES ON ESSAYS. 149 
No. 2, By “South Esx.” 
This essayist is strongly of opinion that forestry can be 
demonstrated to pay much better than is frequently believed, 
and bis main object in acquiring an area of land for sylviculture 
would be to show how this can be done. He considers that the 
Government should provide the funds, but appears to have but 
scant hope of assistance from this quarter. He has also a good 
deal to say in favour of a joint-stock scheme, but doubts if the 
money can be raised in this way. Having but little faith in 
these two proposals, he suggests that a landlord who contemplates 
planting on a considerable scale in the near future should be asked 
to allow the work to be done under the direction of a committee 
of this Society. He indicates the belief that such a landlord 
exists within a few miles of Edinburgh; and expresses the 
opinion that most landlords would be glad to allow the whole or 
a part of their sylvicultural operations to be managed by the 
committee, in consideration of the valuable scientific knowledge 
that would thus be gratuitously placed at the service of their 
estate. The area of land proposed to be dealt with is 1000 acres, 
which would be stocked at the rate of some 40 acres per annum, 
involving an aggregate expenditure of £5800, which, of course, 
would be borne by the landlord. 
It appears to us that, so far as it goes, the idea is worth 
considering, though not as a substitute for the class of forest or 
forests that the Society has in view. This scheme altogether 
Jacks several qualifications—such as continuity of tenure and 
freedom of action—which are absolutely essential to the success 
of any scheme with which this Society should identify itself. 
But, as providing some means of offering extended educational 
facilities to the young men in attendance at forestry classes in 
Edinburgh, it would be a distinct gain to have an area of private 
woodland in the neighbourhood of the city worked upon a definite 
system, where improved processes of stocking, mixing, thinning, 
cropping, and utilising could be demonstrated. Such a woodland, 
being possibly more accessible to this important educational centre 
than the other forest areas in contemplation, would be a valuable 
supplement, and need in no way interfere with the larger scheme. 
Though containing this idea, the essay does not otherwise reach 
the standard that we have set up, and we do not therefore recom- 
mend it for a prize. 
