86 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Encouragements. 

 The reasons for the encouragements suggested are— 



1. That every acre of land planted is a gain to the country, and 

 that this gain can be obtained more cheaply by inducing owners 

 to plant than by the State buying the land and doing the 

 planting itself. 



2. That an immense quantity of timber has been felled to meet 

 national requirements during the war, without any corresponding 

 planting having been done ; and that it is necessary to stimulate 

 replanting. 



3. That many persons who would be willing to plant are not 

 in a financial position to do so ; whilst others are not prepared 

 to incur the whole loss of an outlay for which they cannot expect 

 any return during their lifetime. 



4. That from 2\ per cent, to 3 per cent, is all the return that 

 can be counted on for money invested in planting, and that for 

 this return the planter must wait many years, whereas he can 

 obtain an immediate return of 5 per cent, if he invests his money 

 in other ways. That, therefore, if the State desires him on 

 national grounds to invest his money in planting, it must offer 

 him some compensation for doing so. 



The following are suggested as inducements which might 

 prove effective ; and they should be given equally for the 

 renewal of old plantations and the creation of new ones : — 



1. A bonus of ^\, los. per acre for every acre planted — the 

 only condition in this case being an undertaking on the part of 

 the owner that the trees selected shall be suitable, the planting 

 properly done, and the young plants protected against damage 

 by rabbits. 



2. A bonus of ^3 for every acre planted. In this case, 

 besides the above-mentioned conditions, the Government would 

 have, in the event of war, the first claim to the timber, at the 

 average price of the three preceding years. 



3. An advance of the whole sum required for planting, 

 to be repaid, capital and interest, by annual instalments 

 spread over a considerable period. This method may be 

 preferred by a certain number of landowners, though the 

 number may not be great at present owing to the high rate 

 of interest prevailing. 



