FORESTRY AND THE DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION. 65 



on the staff of the Board of Agriculture for Scotland for the 

 preparation of schemes. 



"The Commissioners have continued to press the adoption in 

 Ireland of their proposals for the afforestation of privately-owned 

 land. The Department of Agriculture addressed enquiries to 

 such Irish landowners as they considered would be likely to 

 adopt the proposals, and as a result various provisional offers 

 of land for the purpose were made. 



"The Commissioners suggested that the Department should 

 consider the suitability of the areas for schemes of economic 

 forestry, and submit definite proposals in respect of those areas 

 for which the Department is prepared to frame and carry out 

 schemes. The Department is proceeding to give effect to this 

 suggestion, and has informed the Commissioners that about 

 10,000 acres have been cleared during the last four years on 

 private estates and on the Department's forestry lands, and may 

 be regarded as available for emergency afforestation after the 

 war. The Department has 750,000 seedlings in hand. In 

 addition there will be the product of the sowings in the season 

 of 1918. 



" Representatives of the Commissioners visited Ireland in 

 September 19 17, for the purpose of inspectirg land suitable 

 for afforestation and the results of work already being financed 

 from the Development Fund. 



" A further matter of importance, to which the Commissioners 

 have given attention, is the provision of nursery stock in case 

 there should be a deficiency when the war is over, and planting 

 operations on a large scale will become imperative. The grants 

 recommended for this purpose are mentioned below. At the 

 close of the year the Commissioners had just received and were 

 considering a provisional application for a grant required for the 

 purchase of additional seed for use by the three Agricultural 

 Departments responsible for the carrying out of State forestry 

 schemes in the United Kingdom. For this purpose a recom- 

 mendation, which fell outside the year now under review, was 

 made for a grant of ^4400. 



2. England and Wales. 



" A grant of ^5000 to the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries 

 was recommended for the continuation in the year 1918-19 of 

 the scheme for research, forestry instruction and advisory work 



VOL. XXXIII. PART I. E 



