SKKTCH OF WORKING-PLAN. 65 



In deciding on the extent and location of the areas to be 

 planted annually, the economic interests, — -sheep ground, deer 

 forests and their rating values, etc., have had to be con- 

 sidered, as well as the fact that it will be necessary to spread 

 the employment in, as far as possible, ever-increasing amounts, 

 over the various periods of the rotation. It is proposed to 

 plant the whole of the area within fifty years, and of that nearly 

 half will be planted in the first fifteen years. This is quite m 

 keeping with both precept and practice abroad. When 

 extensive bare areas are to be planted, they are invariably got 

 under crop with the least possible delay, irrespective of what the 

 ultimate annual felling area may be. This presents no practical 

 difficulty in the way of bringing the woods into proper rotation. 

 It is quite a legitimate process, to shorten the rotation in parts, 

 and to lengthen it in others, in the bringing of the whole into the 

 normal rotation. Further, what the normal rotation will be 

 is a point which cannot be decided at present. 



It has been explained in another section, that not more than 

 a third of the deer-forest wintering, in any forest, can be 

 enclosed for planting at one time, while the sheep ground is 

 available at any time, and can be planted as need arises. Of 

 the 15,000 acres of plantable ground in this area, about two- 

 thirds fall within the deer forests, while the remainder is sheep 

 ground. Thus, in the first period of twenty years, there are 

 available for planting, 5000 acres of sheep ground, and one- 

 third of 10,000 acres of deer-forest wintering, — a total of 8300 

 acres. It is proposed to plant 450 acres per annum, for the 

 first fifteen years, and 300 acres per annum thereafter up to the 

 twentieth year. It is considered that the deer can be safely 

 admitted to the first planted section of the deer forest between 

 the fifteenth and twentieth years, and thus, once one-third of 

 the planted wintering has been thrown open to the deer, the 

 remainder- of the wintering will be available, and planting can 

 take place in it as necessary. From the twenty-first to the 

 fortieth years, 300 acres will be planted per annum, or a total of 

 6000 acres in the period. The residue will fall to be planted 

 between the forty-first and the fiftieth years. Thus 75 acres of 

 the original ground will be planted annually ; but, by this time, it 

 will be seen in what direction extension can best take place, and 

 new blocks can be added. Towards the end of the period, too, 

 the clearing of some of the parts must begin, in order that the 



VOL. XXV. E 



