150 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



manner, for it must be under State control and regulation to be 

 eflFectual ; and so our presently existing Scottish woods, and the 

 new national forests, will ultimately realise the imaginary picture 

 which I have drawn, and will become the reality of a century 

 hence. The national and private owners of the twenty-first 

 century will then reap a regular and mighty annual harvest 

 from Scottish forests, and foreign importations will no longer be 

 indispensable when that good time comes. 



18, The State in Relation to Afforestation. 



By A. S. Hedderwick. 



The days being past and gone when afforestation was regarded 

 by the ruling powers as a mere dream of dreamers, discussion 

 now turns upon details and the relative merits of various schemes 

 for carrying it into practice. 



In this connection two very different plans have been put 

 forward, and each has been supported by much able argument. 

 The fundamental difference between the two schools (if I may 

 use the term) is, that on the one hand it is believed that the work 

 can be undertaken and managed by private individuals, and that 

 it is possible to save the industry from the somewhat narcotic 

 effect of Government control ; on the other hand, it appears to 

 many people that the difficulties attendant on private manage- 

 ment are insuperable, and that nothing short of State afforesta- 

 tion, pure and simple, is within the range of practical politics. 



So far as the former view is concerned, it must be admitted 

 that the difficulties are immense. Indeed, while certain other 

 industries may more or less advantageously be managed by the 

 State, afforestation seems at first sight imperatively to require 

 State action. To begin with, it cannot be carried out by private 

 capital: no capitalist can afford to forego all interest on his 

 money for the half century that must elapse before the forests 

 yield any appreciable return. Again, landed proprietors as a 

 class, do not possess and could not raise the necessary funds ; 

 nor could they afford to plant farm lands, and thereby to incur 

 the loss of the rents now paid by agricultural tenants. 



It has, however, been suggested that the State should advance 

 money to the owners of land on the security of a mortgage over 



