192 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY, 



where, by such procedure, farm lands become of Httle value, I am 

 of opinion that they could be profitably afforested, particularly 

 when they revert to moorland, and the rent for grazing purposes 

 falls under 7s. 6d. per acre. Almost all the land at present 

 under cultivation on the Lintrathen and Crombie watersheds is 

 of poor quality, and if left in grass for a few years it will not 

 bring a rent exceeding 7s. 6d. per acre, but most of the land 

 on the Monikie Catchment Area is too valuable to convert 

 into woodland. If at any future time it is acquired by the 

 Corporation, it would yield a far higher return as a sheep 

 pasture than as a plantation. 



Many Corporations now own the whole or the greater part of 

 their watersheds, and aflforestation schemes have been com- 

 menced by at least eight Local Authorities. These schemes 

 are in their infancy. Some of them gave work to unemployed 

 men for a time, but the work was found unsatisfactory and 

 expensive, and it is not now done by unemployed workmen. 



The Departmental Committee appointed by the Board of 

 Trade in 1902 reported very favourably on the possibilities 

 of afforestation on a large scale as a means of furnishing 

 remunerative labour to an increased rural population. 



To finance an afforestation scheme over the catchment 

 areas of the Dundee Water-Supply would be a very serious 

 matter. While I would rejoice to undertake the work and so 

 follow the example of several large Corporations in England, 

 we cannot shut our eyes to the fact that public representatives 

 are guardians of the ratepayers' money. Afforestation is a highly 

 speculative undertaking — practically a gamble in distant futures. 

 The monetary benefits to be derived by the present generation 

 aris practically nil, and it would be unfair to burden it with 

 the cost even of the maintenance of such a scheme. The 

 great benefits which would result therefrom — an increased rural 

 population and a large stock of cheap timber — are national 

 benefits, not local, and the burden of an expensive afforestation 

 scheme can only be equitably adjusted if the scheme is State- 

 aided. The Local Government Board might make grants for 

 such a purpose, and defer payment of interest until the scheme 

 was profit-bearing. 



Government aid, however, need not necessarily be wholly 

 in the shape of direct financial assistance. Let us have a 

 compulsory system of land purchase for waterworks' purposes. 



