128 IRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Service are the first to recognise that we will not be in such a 

 position until much investigation and experimental work has 

 been done, adapting general theory to the particular conditions 

 of the locality), there is reason to expect that co-operation 

 can be secured from railroad companies, mining companies, 

 universities, corporations, institutions, and private individuals 

 who possess areas of land now lying more or less idle and 

 unproductive. If we can tell them exactly what should be 

 done, what it will cost, and just what results may reasonably be 

 expected ; and if, in addition, we can offer to oversee at least the 

 inauguration of the work and possibly to keep general super- 

 vision over it for a term of years, we can in all probability bring 

 about a wide extension of reforestation at little or no cost to the 

 Central Government. The work to be done is too enormous to 

 depend upon the Government alone. The ultimate success of 

 the Forest Service will depend upon its success or failure in 

 inducing private enterprise to take up the work it advocates. 

 Moreover, private forestry enterprise, once its financial success is 

 demonstrated, will increase at an ever-growing rate of speed. It will 

 far outstrip anything the Government can do. It is much more 

 desirable that the forestry practised by the Government should 

 be imitated, for although we may constantly preach that forestry 

 is an attractive financial investment, we must be able to point to 

 definite results to prove our assertions. It is self-evident that 

 forestry, if it is to be continued by private enterprise, must be 

 profitable or else it would not be extended. This opportunity is 

 far too important to be neglected. Most co-operators will 

 naturally regard the project merely as a business proposition — 

 as a matter of dollars and cents — ^and we should not attempt 

 such work until we have the solid ground-work of first-hand 

 experience to stand on. An initial failure would be even more 

 infectious than an initial success. 



While the exact terms of co-operation may well vary with 

 each project, in general it is only fair to have the co-operator 

 pay all expenses for seeds, trees, and labour, and in some cases 

 even the salary of the member or members detailed to the 

 project. In other cases, and especially when dealing with 

 schools, universities, and other institutions of a more or less 

 philanthropic character, the Government may supply free the 

 technical advice and supervision, leaving the other expenses 

 to be borne by the co-operator. 



