FINANCE IN ESTATE FORESTRY. 29 



5. Finance in Estate Forestry. 



By John D. Sutherland, C.B.E., F.S.I. 



In planting more than in any other utilisation of land it is 

 of supreme importance to embark upon a planting-plan covering 

 a period of years. Where planting is contemplated definite 

 decisions should be taken regarding — 



1. The land to be utilised. 



2. The area to be planted annually. 



3. The number of years during which the work is to be 



carried out. 



4. The species to be used. 



All must depend upon financial circumstances, but on the 

 average estate it is not necessary to entertain large schemes, and 

 whether the expenditure is to be ;^5o or ^500 annually the 

 important point is a determination to complete the plan. It is 

 better to undertake a moderate area and to carry out planting 

 steadfastly than to attempt extensive operations and find that the 

 burden becomes prohibitive. This course usually results in the 

 abandonment of the project. Planting in a regular systematic 

 manner is so important in any proper scheme of estate manage- 

 ment, that everyone in possession of heritable property should 

 consider whether it would not be proper to make it a condition 

 of succession to their estates that any planting-plan in operation 

 should be carried out to its conclusion. 



Afforestation ought not to be undertaken as an interesting or 

 as a pleasure-giving project only, it should be a real part of 

 the systematic management of an estate. Trees give protection 

 from wind and storm, and as shelter will improve the value of 

 agricultural and pastoral land. They are required for all kinds 

 of farm purposes ; they enhance the amenity of every place, and 

 the planting of them may not infrequently occupy the time of 

 permanent employees which otherwise is lost. 



When the planting-plan is arranged, it is desirable to decide 

 whether the plants to be used are to be reared on the estate 

 or to be brought from outside. In referring to this subject, it 

 is specially desired to remove any misunderstanding about the 

 position of nurserymen. Trade nurseries are a proper and 

 useful sphere of commerce, and in the past, as in the future, 

 the produce of them will be in demand. But the Trade require 

 a less uncertain market than the market which has hitherto 



