150 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



twofold object of providing supplies of timber in the future, and of fostering 

 and encouraging rural and wood-consuming industries. If this be a duly at all, 

 it is the duty of the State, and not of the private landowner. The State is the 

 only landowner that never dies nor is called upon to pay estate and succession 

 duty, and it is the only landowner that can make large investments without 

 being compelled to desire quick returns in the shape of income ; hence the 

 Slate is the only landowner that can be sure of remaining free from the 

 temptation to thin timber-crops at an early age, and to a great extent — or, in 

 short, that can afford to grow the best classes of timber upon rational 

 principles. 



Private timber-planting has hitherto failed from want of 

 funds, oppressive legislation and financial burdens, want of 

 systematic management, and overpreservation of game (especi- 

 ally ground game). But these drawbacks can be remedied ; 

 and till private landowners have been found unwilling to agree 

 to reasonable proposals when made by Government there seems 

 no justification for the compulsory expropriation of nearly one- 

 third of the whole of Scotland, as thus recommended by the 

 Commission : — 



It will be necessary at an early stage, for the State to acquire suitable 

 land, and at once the alternatives arise of acquisition by negotiation or by 

 compulsion . . . we, therefore, recommend that compulsory powers be 

 obtained by legislative enactment, and that a general survey should be made 

 with a view to ascertaining what lands are available for the purposes of State 

 afforestation. These lands should be purchased from time to time as 

 required, the owner receiving in compensation their full value in all the 

 circumstances of each particular case, following the precedent of the Small 

 Holdings Act, 1907, so far as it is applicable. Compensation should be paid 

 also to silting tenants. 



During the last five months my professional advice has been 

 asked regarding timber-planting on several Argyllshire estates, 

 and in each case I have advised the landowner, before committ- 

 ing himself to any such investment, to ascertain from Govern- 

 ment what financial and other assistance and encouragement 

 they are prepared to give in this direction. But the recommenda- 

 tion of the Commission is dead against any such assistance : — 

 *' In no circumstances do your Commissioners suggest that the 

 State should be expected to finance schemes of private afforesta- 

 tion, by way of loan or otherwise. The security would not, in 

 their opinion, in such cases, be of a sufficiently substantial kind 

 to warrant such action." 



Here again, however, on this most important point, the Irish 



