30 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



think it necessarily involves extensive operations with the 

 immediate outlay of an amount of capital that they are not 

 prepared to lay down. But if, having convinced themselves 

 of the financial soundness of afforestation work, which they 

 cannot do otherwise than through an example set before them 

 by the State, they were to act as above suggested, an important 

 extension of the industry would shortly become apparent. 



No doubt a portion of the State Demonstration Forests would 

 be set apart for experimental and educational work having more 

 than a merely local interest, which the Government officers 

 would conduct for the benefit of the country generally. In this 

 section of the estate the object of management would differ 

 entirely from that governing work in the main forest, in that it 

 would not be expected to yield a money profit ; and its records 

 would consequently be separately kept. 



The Royal Scottish Arboricultural Society has, for many years 

 past, persistently urged the provision of a State Demonstration 

 Forest, and it may be hoped that the important step now taken 

 by the Government will shortly be followed by the acquisition of 

 additional areas, more accessibly situated, and otherwise more 

 suitable than Inverliever, for the educational and other purposes 

 above indicated. 



A point which will early become interesting is the effect that 

 the starting of planting on a considerable scale in the Argyllshire 

 Highlands will have in connection with the rural labour question. 

 As sufficient local labour is not likely to be available, an oppor- 

 tunity will at once be afforded of putting to the test the sugges- 

 tions recently made by Dr Schlich and others, for giving forest 

 work to a portion of the army of the unemployed. But it is 

 certain that the forest will require a large number of permanent 

 workers, while the inauguration of systematic forestry is invariably 

 followed by the development of various wood-using industries, 

 which through it secure an unfailing supply of the necessary raw 

 material; and it may confidently be expected that before the 

 lapse of many years, a considerable resident population will have 

 established itself within and around the new forest. The effect 

 of the forest in this direction is likely to be more important and 

 far-reaching than in that of providing casual work for the 

 unemployed. 



