130 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



passes without injury being sustained by the turnip crop in 

 consequence of exposure or want of shelter ; and it not in- 

 frequently happens that gales occurring in the end of June or 

 beginning of July, not only disturb and injure the young plants^ 

 but drift them away. The casualty is generally most severe 

 when rough weather ensues immediately after the young plants 

 are singled out." 



A rational policy should be to grow timber trees in places 

 where they should be grown, and to plant with discrimination 

 suitable species which will not damage more valuable food crops 

 in places where landscape effect is the main object. 



Waste or idle areas on farms, as well as existing plantations 

 in the forms of shelter-belts, etc., might each be made more 

 useful and productive, if they were to receive more care and 

 attention. Few leases, if any, provide for the establishment and 

 maintenance of farm woodlots or plantations. They are only 

 too often allowed to look after themselves, it being the duty 

 neither of landlord nor of tenant to see to their repair and 

 upkeep. Yet, surely, it is not beyond the limits of practical 

 possibility to devise some scheme between landlord and tenant, 

 whereby the latter would secure some advantage in return for 

 care and attention to this form of crop on such places on his 

 farm as will produce no other. Who is in a better position than 

 the farmer to carry out the practical operations involved in the 

 planting and tending of farm plantations ? He understands the 

 fundamental principles which govern the growth of other forms 

 of plants. He knows how soil and climatic conditions affect 

 the production of crops, and can, therefore, easily and rapidly 

 master such simple silvicultural principles as apply to shelter- 

 belts and other farm plantations. In the winter time, when 

 other work on the farm is least intensive, he could find useful 

 and remunerative employment for men and horses which might 

 otherwise be semi-idle. The scheme, then, would have the 

 double advantage of effecting increased returns from both land 

 and labour. 



It has been stated already that the question of the proper 

 selection, composition, and protection of shelter-belts and farm 

 woodlots has not in the past received the attention its import- 

 ance deserves. The present position is far from satisfactory 

 owing to the fact that numerous shelter-belts and farm 

 plantations disappeared during the war, and many of these are 



