14 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH AREORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



2. The Development Commission and Forestry. 



Extracts from the Report of the Commissioners for 

 THE Year ended 31ST March 1913. 



(i.) General. 



During the year 1912-13, the Commissioners received twelve 



applications which fall mainly or entirely under the heading of 

 forestry ; so far as can be ascertained the total of the advances 

 for which application was made amounted to ;^5o,442. The 

 amount recommended during the year was ^11,175. 



In their last Report the Commissioners explained that the 

 first object to which they were devoting their attention was the 

 improvement of forestry education and the provision of technical 

 advice. For this purpose they have made a grant of ^.S7°° ^o 

 the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries, to continue a scheme 

 which provides instruction and advice at five centres in England 

 and Wales (Oxford, Cambridge, Cirencester, Bangor, and 

 Newcastle), and provides also for research work and minor 

 forestry experiments. This grant is, however, only an interim 

 measure, pending the establishment of a central demonstration 

 area. A committee appointed by the Board of Agriculture has 

 agreed in the view that such an area may be found among 

 existing Crown woods ; and the Commissioners will no doubt 

 shortly receive from the Board detailed proposals for staff and 

 equipment. It will then be necessary to consider how far the 

 State-aided educational and research work in forestry should be 

 centralised at the demonstration area ; but, as it is clear that it 

 cannot be confined to this area, the Commissioners have recom- 

 mended grants of ^2500 for a new forestry school at Cambridge, 

 ;^iooo for a research laboratory at Oxford, and a small grant 

 (in addition to a grant made last year) for a forestry museum 

 and lecture room in Chopwell Woods, administered by Durham 

 University. 



They have not yet received definite proposals for a demonstra- 

 tion area in Scotland. They understand that this subject is still 

 before the Committee appointed by the Secretary for Scotland 

 some time ago. They have now before them an application 

 from the Scotch Board of Agriculture for assistance towards a 

 scheme for providing technical advice. 



A total area of about 14,000 acres in Ireland has been 



