THE DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION AND FORESTRY. 21 



They have intimated that, subject to the adjustment of the 

 financial questions concerned with the Agriculture (Scotland) 

 Fund, they will take a favourable view of an application for a 

 grant towards the cost and equipment of an estate so far as 

 relates to the educational and advisory functions of the proposed 

 demonstration area, and for a loan, repayable on a terminable 

 annuity basis, towards the cost of the estate so far as relates to 

 its economic purposes. 



The Secretary of the Royal Scottish Arboricultural Society 

 forwarded in November a copy of a draft Memorandum and 

 Articles of Association of an Afforestation and Development 

 Trust, which contemplated the formation of a non-trading 

 association with a view to assisting private landowners to 

 afforest their estates by means of loans from the Development 

 Fund. A decision on this proposal, which raises some 

 important and difficult questions, was deferred until the 

 Commissioners had consulted with the Scotch Board of 

 Agriculture. The views of the Board have not yet been 

 received. 



An application from the Board of Agriculture for Scotland 

 for a grant for the appointment of forestry survey and research 

 officers was under consideration at the close of the period to 

 which this Report relates. 



(v.) Ireland. 



In continuance of their policy of aiding afforestation in 

 Ireland, the Commissioners during the year approved for 

 purchase, as suitable for planting, five further areas to which 

 their attention had been drawn by the Department of Agricul- 

 ture and Technical Instruction. Together they comprise about 

 7000 acres, and bring up to 14,000 acres the amount of land 

 which the Irish Department have been authorised to purchase 

 if possible out of the advance of ^25,000 or ^30,000 already 

 approved. 



Certain difficulties of administration arose in connection with 

 one of the areas approved for purchase. It adjoins existing 

 woods acquired by the Department by means of the annual 

 vote of p{^6ooo borne on the Parliamentary Estimates to enable 

 the Department to acquire the wooded residue of estates left on 

 the hands of the Estates Commissioners of the Irish Land 

 Commission. While the Development Commissioners thought 

 it desirable that the two areas should be worked as one centre 

 and by the same staff, they feared that in practice it might be 

 found difficult to apportion the relative cost of administration 



