EXCURSION TO THE LOVAT ESTATES. 2O9 



from a friend in America, assuring me that the forests there are 

 being cleared with such rapidity that they will soon be all cut 

 down, and home-grown timber will rise in price by leaps and 

 bounds.' This was fifty years ago ; and I must say I have not 

 yet seen such a tendency to the extent that was foretold. But 

 that a rise in price will come some day there can be no doubt. 

 Foreign supplies are getting farther inland, and I hear of little 

 being done to reproduce. In Ireland, whence great supplies 

 have come in the past, especially to the West Coast, little or no 

 planting is being made. And in this country, if more ground is 

 being cleared than is being put under young crop, the end will 

 come. 



" Now, what is to be done ? Is our country to become more 

 and more denuded of trees ? Can nothing be done to secure to 

 the Highlands of Scotland some of that increased outlay of money 

 that will be spent in purchasing timber in future years? That 

 there is plenty of waste land in the Highlands capable of growing 

 timber to profit, I think no one will call in question. It would 

 be a source of revenue to the country if even a portion of the 

 money paid for foreign supplies could be spent at home ; and I 

 see no reason why it should not, if proper measures be adopted 

 for this end. I do not see how individual proprietors (unless in 

 exceptional cases) can accomplish much, though I know there 

 are some proprietors in the country who have forethought and 

 capital enough to go on planting. In the case of most 

 proprietors the loss of grazing and shooting rents would be a 

 serious consideration to begin with, and the capital needed would 

 be difficult to provide ; but much could be done if Government 

 gave assistance, either by advancing capital at a low rate of 

 interest, or by getting possession of large tracts suitable for 

 planting, paying full compensation to the present owners. As 

 to the actual extent of suitable ground, I have no accurate con- 

 ception. I have heard it estimated at ten million acres, even 

 twenty million acres. I fear that many who pass through the 

 Highlands by train or steamboat, looking at the hill-sides, 

 frequently say, ' What suitable ground for planting that is,' yet 

 if it were walked over, and closely examined, large tracts might 

 be found unsuitable, where it would be a waste of money to 

 plant a single tree. I am convinced, however, that there are 

 large tracts in the Highlands well adapted for the remunerative 

 growth of timber. Let me here say that the larger the area 



