14 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



offered cheap, I agree might quite well be bought and planted 

 up by Government. But I fear we would have to wait long for 

 such to be found in any quantity, even longer than we have had 

 to wait for Inverliever. 



But Mr Ferguson, I gather, inclines to think that any large 

 scheme of afforestration by the State — whether his or mine — may 

 be apt to hinder progress in scientific training and the acquisition 

 for this purpose of a demonstration area. If I thought that 

 training and education would thereby be sacrificed, I would be 

 the first to join with him in urging delay. But, on the contrary, I 

 think that we shall never make any real progress in getting a 

 class of highly trained foresters in this country till we have some 

 national scheme ; and for this reason, that, till we can offer the 

 prospect of important and responsible posts, men will not sacri- 

 fice time and money to go through a thorough course 

 of scientific training. As one of the most experienced foresters 

 in Scotland remarked to me the other day, the average pay of a 

 head forester just now does not exceed ^^70 per annum, with 

 the off chance of a pension if he has a generous employer. Can 

 we expect educated men to be attracted by such reward ? It is 

 only by State assistance in some shape that it is possible to form 

 extensive forest areas, systematically managed, which will 

 justify the employment of well-paid forest managers, be the 

 land privately or publicly owned. I feel sure in this Mr 

 Ferguson will agree with me, as I agree with him that it is all- 

 important that we should be united in what we ask Government 

 to do. Under such a scheme as I suggested, the Government- 

 controlled areas would be useful for demonstration purposes, 

 especially if scattered throughout the country. 



We have reached a stage when public opinion seems ripe 

 for some practical scheme for the planting of our waste land, and 

 if such could be submitted in definite shape, some progress might 

 be made. The Report of 1902 showed us that it is useless to 

 look to individual effort in this matter, but the Departmental 

 Committee was apparently unable at the time to agree as to 

 a general scheme of State afforestation. Surely it is now time to 

 make some proposal and save the precious years that are slipping 

 by. Might not the Council of the Society endeavour to propose 

 some scheme for national assistance on sound principles? 



Your Correspondent, 



