THE GEDDES COMMITTEE REPORT. 99 



was given to the Unemployment Forestry Schemes of the 

 Government last year. Although these schemes only became 

 available after the usual planting season had commenced, over 

 two hundred proprietors in Scotland, as well as a considerable 

 number of Local Authorities, immediately co-operated, with the 

 result that about 7500 acres have been planted and over 11,000 

 acres prepared for planting at a future time. This surely is 

 some indication that, irrespective of the opinion of the 

 Committee, those who understand the value of woodlands do 

 not consider the investment a bad one. 



12. Departmental Report on Deer Forests. 



By " Scots Pine." 



The increase in the number and size of deer forests has 

 occupied attention for a quarter of a century, and periodic 

 outbursts of invective against deer have been frequent. Wrath 

 and indignation have mingled to deflect the true issues, often 

 to the prejudice of just consideration of the subject. The 

 Report of the Departmental Committee, appointed in 19 19 

 to enquire with regard to lands in Scotland used as deer forests, 

 recently published, fortunately carries this old matter of violent 

 allegation into the region of ascertained fact. It dispels any 

 chance of disillusionment, and as it contains no protest from the 

 representatives of both farmer and crofter upon the Committee, 

 the recommendations cannot fail to have the weight of 

 incontrovertible authority. The enquiry was very thorough. 

 It endured over two years, and evidence or representations 

 were heard from no less than 237 witnesses. Fifty-six forests 

 were inspected, and congratulations are due to the President, 

 Sir John Stirling-Maxwell, and to his colleagues, upon the 

 clarity of their statements as well as upon their recommenda- 

 tions. The Report carries the reader through the history of 

 the growth of deer forests over three periods, 1750 to 1850, 

 1850 to 1892, and from the latter year to 1912, by which time 

 the extent of land under deer was 3,584,966 acres. Between 

 1892 and 191 2 the increase in the area of land transferred from 

 sheep grazing to deer stalking was just over 1,100,000 acres, 

 and this great absorption was, the Committee conclude, mainly 



