I 6 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



concerned in regard to schemes of afforestation of a national 

 character, have meanwhile drawn up the following statement for 

 the guidance of local authorities who may contemplate applying 

 for State-aid in carrying out schemes of afforestation on areas 

 under their control : — 



" I. The Development Commissioners will be prepared, pend- 

 ing the completion of any general schemes forthis purpose 

 by the English Board of Agriculture and Fisheries and 

 by the Departments of Agriculture in Scotland and 

 Ireland, to consider applications, which in the first 

 instance need not be in great detail, from local 

 authorities or other responsible bodies for assistance 

 in the afforestation of water-catchment areas or other 

 suitable areas under their control, with a view to 

 ascertaining whether the schemes put forward are of 

 public utility and likely to prove remunerative either 

 directly or indirectly. 



'* 2. The Commissioners consider it is important that such 

 afforestation schemes as may be brought to their 

 notice should be inquired into without delay in order 

 to ascertain, by means of a flying survey, whether the 

 above-mentioned conditions are likely to be fulfilled. 

 They consider that any detailed scheme following 

 thereon should provide, with due regard to economy 

 and efficiency, for varying the extent of the operations 

 prescribed from year to year, and that such variation 

 should be governed by the effect of the afforestation 

 works on employment, and should be arranged in 

 relation to the state of the labour market and to the 

 aggregate demand for labour in the United Kingdom 

 as reflected in the Board of Trade's index number of 

 unemployment or otherwise. 



" 3. Provided that approved schemes for afforestation are 

 carried out in accordance with expert advice, and that 

 the work is open at all times for inspection and the 

 areas made available if required for purposes of 

 education, research, and demonstration, the Develop- 

 ment Commissioners are prepared to recommend loans 

 on the general principle that repayment commences so 

 soon as the work becomes remunerative or at some 

 date to be fixed in reference to the method of afforesta- 

 tion to be followed in any particular case." 



The publication of this statement has produced communica- 

 tions from several of the great municipalities, including Birming- 

 ham, Cardiff, Leeds, Liverpool, and Manchester, and negotiations 

 with some of these authorities are now being conducted with a 

 view to the framing of schemes of afforestation. Various 



