292 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
utilising machinery, accelerating the execution of orders, and 
utilising softwood by conversion into wood-pulp. 
CAPITAL REQUIRED. 
The capital required would, of course, depend upon the extent 
of the operations engaged in. Professor Somerville thought that 
the company advocated by him could be carried on successfully 
with a capital of £7000, which would enable 500 acres to be 
bought and planted. He proposed that the shares should be 
41 each, so that all might have an opportunity of participating 
in the undertaking. In the Society’s scheme for the establish- 
ment of Model Forests, the sum aimed at was £40,000, to be 
devoted to the purchase of 1500 to 2000 acres of land, with 
about 500 acres of growing woods, averaging forty years of age. 
None of the other authorities go into the outlay required; but 
Dr Schlich has made elaborate calculations to show at what 
price land might be acquired for afforestation purposes and be 
expected to yield at least 2} per cent. on the venture. His 
figures are—Oak, £9, 11s.; beech, £9, 178.; Scots pine, 
4%4, 58.3 spruce, £15, 1s.; silver fir, £16, 6s.; ash, £24. 
larch, £34, 2s. If the land could be got at a cheaper rate, the 
interest would be higher, and wze versa. 
RooM FOR EXPANSION. 
On the subject of waste land suitable for afforestation, accurate 
figures, of course, cannot be given until a proper survey has been 
made; but all the authorities are agreed that there are several 
million acres of land which are now practically lying waste, or 
are yielding a very small rental as grazing land. The Depart- 
mental Committee in their Report say: “As regards the ques- 
tion of the extension of the forest area, it is shown on the 
highest authority that there is in these islands a very large area 
of waste, heather, and rough pasture or land out of cultiva- 
tion, amounting in all to 21 million acres, on a large propor- 
tion of which afforestation could be profitably undertaken.” 
Of the total of Great Britain and Ireland, only 4 per cent. is 
under forests, as compared with 17, 18, and 26 per cent. of 
Belgium, France, and Germany respectively. It is therefore 
apparent that, as compared with these continental countries, which 
