140 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



management would be laid down by the Government department, 

 — the head forester would be a man whose qualifications had 

 been approved by the department,— the work would be carried 

 out on the basis of annual estimates, and the woods would be 

 inspected from time to time by the department's representative. 

 If the management for any reason proved unsatisfactory, the 

 department would step in and take it into its own hand. 



The legal form in which such a scheme could be constituted 

 might be a simple conveyance of the land included in the 

 scheme to Government with a back agreement setting out the 

 terms of the arrangement, including the return of the land to the 

 proprietor or his successor at a fair value if and when the scheme 

 was wound up. The holders of any mortgage would need to 

 concur in the conveyance, but in return they would receive an 

 assignation in security of the proprietor's interests under the 

 forest agreement. 



The general result would be the establishment of a forest 

 under Government for public and private benefit, on land belong- 

 ing to a private owner and under his private control so long as 

 well managed. Undoubtedly the bogey of " dual ownership " 

 will be set up to frighten people from such a scheme. But, after 

 all, have we not more or less of dual control in almost every under- 

 taking ? Who is free from State control and State interference in 

 their business ? Take, for instance, the railway companies : they 

 have the Board of Trade revising their management in every 

 detail ; they have to admit public rights in the use and control 

 of their property as a condition of the powers and privileges 

 they enjoy. Yet does the system prove unworkable in this 

 country ? Again, we have the factory and mines inspectors 

 interfering in the management and conditions of industries. 

 Yet apart from an occasional growl, no harm is done and often 

 great good. In the case of such a co-operative scheme as is 

 roughly suggested above, friction and differences of opinion 

 would be less likely, inasmuch as the Government and the pro- 

 prietor would alike be interested in its financial success and in the 

 welfare of its local employees. 



Undoubtedly the establishment of a Forestry Department 

 would be required for Scotland under Government to control 

 and supervise the working of such a scheme, but it is a national 

 concession to be pressed for on every ground. A Department 

 of Agriculture and Forestry should be given us to remove the 



