20 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Besides applications for educational and research work in 

 forestry, the Commissioners received during the year one or two 

 applications for aid in the general work of afforestation. 



To assist in its work of reclaiming and planting pit-mounds in 

 the Black Country, the Midland Re-afforesting Association 

 applied for a capital grant of ;;C^947^ ^"^ ^" annual main- 

 tenance grant of ^^30. The application was supported by a 

 memorial from the Council of the Borough of Walsall. While 

 sympathising with the Association's objects, the Commissioners 

 could not see their way to depart from their policy of aiding 

 only those schemes that promise to make for commercial forestry, 

 and thus to develop the industry on business lines. They 

 understand that the Association has undertaken to prepare a 

 revised scheme in which closer attention will be given to the 

 financial principles of commercial forestry. Meanwhile they 

 have concurred in the proposal of the Board of Agriculture and 

 Fisheries that, out of the ^1000 a year received by the Board 

 from the Development Fund for purposes of minor forestry 

 experiments, a grant of jC^°° should be made to the Association. 

 This grant will be utilised to place and maintain in order one 

 of the most promising of the Association's existing plantations, 

 with the object of ultimately obtaining experimental data which 

 will be of use in considering any future schemes of afforestation 

 in the Black Country. 



Aid was also sought for two small schemes of afforestation 

 submitted simultaneously by the Carnarvonshire County Council. 

 The County Council desired a grant of ^^2830 for the purpose, 

 under one scheme, of planting at a cost of ^9, 4s. lod. per 

 acre some 260 acres on their recently acquired Madryn Castle 

 Estate, and, under the second scheme, of felling and re-planting 

 on the same estate some 55 acres at a cost of ^7, i8s. 5d. 

 per acre. As the Commissioners regard ^^^ per acre as a 

 sufficient sum for planting, and are not prepared, save in 

 exceptional cases, to recommend advances to local authorities at 

 a higher rate, they were forced to the conclusion that the 

 Carnarvonshire estimates, taken in conjunction with the limited 

 area of land available for afforestation, would be prohibitive for 

 purposes of commercial forestry. 



(iv.) Scotland. 



In September the Commissioners' Forestry Committee 

 discussed forestry work in Scotland with some representatives 

 of the Scotch Board of Agriculture. No application or scheme 

 has yet been received from the Scottish authorities for the 

 establishment of a central demonstration area in Scotland ; and 

 the Commissioners understand that the whole question is still 

 being considered by the Scotch Board of Agriculture. 



