THE HOME TIMBER TRADE OUTLOOK. I49 



than the present value of the woods, to perhaps as much as ;^i5 

 per acre, or, say, ^9000 on 600 acres. 



Now, gentlemen, I must apologise for taking up so much of 

 your time, but I should like you to bear with me while we 

 consider, as briefly as possible, " what afforestation would mean 

 in the way of employment." If, let us suppose, the possibility 

 occurred during the next few years, to plant even ten millions 

 out of the twenty practically waste acres of Britain, this 

 would mean employment for about 100,000 men as foresters and 

 labourers alone, while at least as many more would be employed 

 in subsidiary work. Allowing four dependents to each man, this 

 would mean that a living on the land would be given to about a 

 million of human beings who, otherwise would go to swell the 

 already overcrowded towns. 



In addition to those actually engaged in forestry, there would 

 also be employed the necessary labour for haulage, loading 

 and sawing, to say. nothing of other industries such as building, 

 shopkeeping, schooling, etc., etc., which would follow; and it 

 may be taken that more men would be employed by the 

 conversion of the timber than by its growth. Think of the vast 

 number of saddlers, blacksmiths and engineers that would find 

 employment, to say nothing of those engaged in the oil and saw- 

 making industries, and the manufacture of belting, etc. Railway 

 companies and shipowners would also be greatly benefited by 

 the additional traffic, and our farmers and small-holders would 

 find a ready market for their crops. Surely such a prospect 

 should appeal to the nation at large as a highly desirable thing 

 to attain to. It is a national question, and should not be mixed 

 up with any political party. A further advantage lies in the fact 

 that forestry gives employment at a time of the year — late 

 autumn and winter — when country work generally is scarce, and 

 thus, by keeping men fully employed all the year round, there 

 would be a great inducement to them to remain on the land. 

 There are many difficulties in the way, of course, such as pre- 

 iudice, ignorance, indifference, and disbelief in the possibility 

 of the scheme, but these are all surmountable, and should be an 

 additional incentive to us to bring the. facts home to the people 

 of this country. 



The moral is, gentlemen, that we must start afforestation on a 

 national scale in real earnest now, or so soon as the necessary 

 surveys can be prepared, and certainly with State aid in some 



