8 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIKTY. 



that they did not bind themselves to recommend a continuance 

 of the payments now proposed when once the selection of a 

 demonstration area rendered further centralisation possible. 



It will have been gathered that the Commissioners attach 

 great importance to the practical measure which they have just 

 mentioned, viz., the provision of a demonstration area for 

 England and Wales. During the past year they have devoted 

 much attention to this subject. From independent inquiries they 

 had reason to believe that a suitable area could be obtained without 

 a large initial expense; and, after considering a report of their 

 Forestry Committee on the extent and administration of Crown 

 Woods and Forests, the Commissioners instructed the Committee, 

 " in view of the large area of Crown lands available, to pay 

 special attention to their possible utilisation in connection with 

 any forestry scheme submitted to the Commission." 



During November, two members of the Commission (Sir 3. 

 Eardley-Wilmot and Mr Jones-Davies) visited the Forest of Dean 

 and other Crown woodlands in the neighbourhood. From 

 their report the Commissioners formed the opinion that strong 

 reasons could be advanced for utilising the Forest of Dean as 

 a State demonstration area, which would also serve as a centre 

 for research, the education of woodmen, and the prosecution 

 of special study by advanced students. No expenditure would 

 be required for purchase or rental. The area might be made 

 to serve not only for demonstrating the growth of the large 

 majority of British timbers, but also as an object lesson in the 

 conversion from one silvicultural system to another, and a 

 standing proof of the effect of adverse prescriptive rights. The 

 adjoining woods of Tintern, extending over some 4000 acres, 

 would afford good examples of afforestation on poor soils and 

 on elevations up to 1000 feet above sea -level. At no great 

 ■distance are other areas in Wales which might well be taken 

 up by the State on lease or otherwise ; and thus the possibilities 

 of afforestation might be illustrated, with funds saved from the 

 purchase of land, for demonstration purposes. 



These conclusions obviously superseded the Commissioners' 

 previous opinion that a Committee should be formed to consider 

 the acquisition of a demonstration area or areas. Towards the 

 end of November, therefore, they communicated with the Board 

 of Agriculture and Fisheries suggesting that it was unnecessary 

 to proceed with the appointment of a Committee as originally 

 proposed, and expressing their agreement with what they under- 

 stood to be the Board's view, that an Advisory Committee 

 should be appointed to frame and inaugurate a scheme for the 

 administration of the Forests of Dean and Highmeadow as a 

 demonstration area. On the 24th January, the Commissioners 

 learnt semi-officially from the Board that they were appointing 

 an Advisory Committee, of which Sir E, Stafford Howard had 

 consented to act as Chairman, to consider among other matters 



