142 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



year, and the amounts passed paid by Government and placed to 

 its credit in the account, the proprietor being credited with the 

 agreed value of his land taken possession of each year. The 

 croft and grazing land would be dealt with as might be arranged 

 — perhaps that the proprietor would continue to receive the same 

 rent as the land brought when taken over, the Government defray- 

 ing the costs of any buildings or other improvements required, and 

 being credited therefor in the account. Each year would add 

 similarly to the capital contributed on each side, till the years 

 were reached when the crops of trees became saleable and 

 further capital expenditure would cease, and returns came in to 

 the Government and the owner of the land. Meantime more 

 and more labour would have been required, and more and more 

 men employed. 



This is an example of the scheme worked out on a modest 

 scale — 25 acres per annum — but the larger the scheme the better 

 the results would be, as the larger undertakings would justify 

 the employment of more skilled and better paid managers, and 

 would in various ways secure greater economy. Nor would 

 there be any insuperable difficulty in two or more proprietors 

 being associated in one permanent scheme along with Govern- 

 ment. 



The advantages which would be attained in securing con- 

 tinuous good management of the forest areas dealt with, and in 

 facilitating the establishment of forestry stations in different 

 parts of the country under Government control for scientific study, 

 have not been touched on above. These and the climatic 

 improvement to the districts in which such large masses of trees 

 would be introduced, are considerations which must not be over- 

 looked. 



Undoubtedly this scheme would mean the sinking for many 

 years of public money — mainly in wages paid out for work 

 — but would the nation grudge this to establish what would 

 really be a new national industry under the healthiest conditions 

 of life and work? The expenditure would be very gradual, 

 while the benefits to the nation would be immediate, substantial 

 and increasing. 



[We hope that these interesting suggestions will be fully 

 discussed by other writers. — Hon. Ed.] 



