64 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



9. Forestry and the Development Commission. 



The following paragraphs are taken from the section headed 

 " Forestry " in the Eighth Report of the Development Com- 

 missioners : 1 — 



1. General. 



" During the year under review the Commissioners received 

 the Report of the Forestry Sub-Committee of the Reconstruction 

 Committee. Before this Sub-Committee had commenced its 

 work the Development Commissioners had set forth in a 

 Memorandum submitted to the Reconstruction Committee the 

 advantages of leasing and proceeds-sharing as compared with 

 a system of land purchase. The Commissioners have always 

 contemplated that part of the land to be afforested by direct 

 State action must necessarily be acquired by purchase outright ; 

 but with a view to reducing as far as possible the inevitably 

 serious expenditure on the creation of commercial forests, after 

 careful enquiries, they proposed these alternative methods. The 

 Commissioners observe with satisfaction that these methods 

 have been approved by the Reconstruction Sub-Committee. 



" In their last Report the Commissioners stated that it was 

 not necessary for them to urge the importance of the afforesta- 

 tion of land at present unproductive. The experience of the 

 war and the extensive felling of forests both in the United 

 Kingdom and on the Continent have emphasised the national 

 importance of home-grown supplies of timber. The Com- 

 missioners have continued to consider the most appropriate 

 and economic methods of promoting the development of 

 forestry in the United Kingdom, and desire to urge the 

 importance of the immediate preparation of afforestation 

 schemes, so that they may be ready when the war is over. 

 They have recommended grants for survey work, among other 

 purposes, and considerable areas of land have been mapped 

 out as suitable for planting. They think it right, however, 

 to state plainly that in their view, which they have com- 

 municated to the Departments concerned, the preparation of 

 definite schemes should be taken in hand at once. 



" Reference is made below to the grant recommended for the 

 salaries and expenses of an additional Forestry Officer required 



1 London : His Majesty's Stationery Office, 1918. Price, 3d. 



