270 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
they cleared out to make room for corn-growing as the population 
increases. At the same time, as a natural consequence, more and 
more timber is required for structural and other purposes within 
the country. The supplies of the larger-sized timber from the 
north of Europe are also considerably reduced. It is highly 
probable, therefore, that in the course of the next fifty years our 
supplies of timber from abroad will be very greatly curtailed. 
We cannot grow all the timber we require at home, but a very 
considerable proportion can well be produced. Large tracts of 
land at present worth only a few shillings per acre for grazing 
purposes, but which are capable of producing Scots pine and larch 
of the finest quality, are available for plantation purposes. 
Mr D. F. Mackenzie, in his address delivered at the thirty- 
seventh annual meeting of the Royal Scottish Arboricultural 
Society, put the area thus available, in Scotland alone, at no less 
a figure than eight million acres ; the planting and management of 
which he considers would give employment to forty thousand persons. 
Of late the home timber trade, in common with other industries, 
has been very much depressed, and proprietors have found con- 
siderable difficulty in getting a market for certain classes of forest 
produce. But, with a general revival of trade, prices are certain 
to improve. Even at present prices, land now lying comparatively 
waste can be made to yield, if properly planted and managed, an 
annual rental of from 15s. to 30s. per acre. 
2, LAYING OUT THE PLANTATION. 
In laying off the boundary line of a plantation, the prevailing 
winds of the district should be carefully studied, and precautionary 
measures taken to counteract their destructive effects. In these 
latitudes, the most violent and frequent winds blow from a 
westerly direction. On the eastern coast of Britain, however, the 
most damage is done by northerly and easterly winds. The 
greatest breadth of the plantation should, if possible, be laid off 
in the face of the prevailing winds, and on the highest parts to 
be planted. 
As regards the actual form a plantation should take, the 
individual tastes of the owner, and other attendant circumstances, 
have to be considered. The best form that can be adopted on the 
exposed side is the convex, the tendency of which seems to be to 
divide and weaken the force of the storm, Straight lines are, 
