RELATION OF FORESTRY TO AGRICULTURE, ETC. 12 J 



that the objections, and there must be objections, should be 

 plainly stated now so that they may be dealt with. We do not 

 want to have the whole thing on one side. I have opened the 

 discussion, and I hope some one will take up the other side 

 of this question in order that we may have a full and free 

 discussion, and that we may show everybody what we consider 

 is the best line to take with regard to this important subject." 



Mr A. T. Gillanders, F.E.S., said : — " I would like to speak on 

 one point, namely, planting shelter for stock. I do not wish 

 to criticise the opinions and methods of anyone, but to give 

 a candid expression of my own views. As regards shelter I 

 am strongly in favour of it, because I believe that the future of 

 this country is to a large extent as a stock country and therefore 

 shelter is imperative. But the relation of shelter-belt planting 

 to correct forestry and the details of management are more 

 complicated problems than appear on the surface. Hence my 

 two points are — (i) the relation of shelter planting to good 

 forestry, and (2) methods of management as regards the relation 

 to forestry. Let us ask ourselves what is correct forestry ? To 

 my mind good forestry is a continuity of some fixed method 

 or system of cutting and planting according to the merits of 

 each particular case, together with such elasticity as may 

 adapt itself to unforeseen contingencies, as wind blows, etc. 

 If the forester is to do good work he should know where 

 cutting and planting are to take place five years hence, and 

 so make every necessary preparation for the future. It is 

 also the duty of the owner to acquiesce either in the opinions 

 of his own forester or to solicit such practical advice as may 

 confirm or amend his forester's views. In other words, having 

 regard to contemporary thought, let the owner make sure that 

 his forester is not an extreme faddist, because there are faddists 

 even among foresters. Having thus settled a system, and feel- 

 ing disposed to plant shelter from an agricultural point of view, 

 the planting of such shelter should be carried out either as 

 an * extra,' or with such modifications as will not too far 

 upset the present or prospective forestry of the estate. I venture 

 to assert that this is a strong point, because shelter-belt forestry, 

 as a general rule, will not pay from a commercial timber 

 point of view. Hence the prospective letting value of the 

 land must be carefully considered on the merits of each par- 

 ticular case. In other words, as regards economic management, 



