SCOTTISH FORESTRY IN REGARD TO DEVELOPMENT FUND. I43 



forestry school at Cambridge, ;^iooo for a research laboratory 

 at Oxford, and ;^85 further to Newcastle for the building in 

 Chopwell woods. In addition, the Commissioners said they were 

 willing to accept the Board's proposal to acquire land for the 

 formation of six or seven experimental forests of some 5000 acres 

 each, and at the end of the year were discussing with the Board 

 the practical steps to be taken for the purpose. 



Scotland. — As regards Scotland, the Commissioners said that 

 no application or scheme had yet been received from the 

 Scottish authorities for the establishment of a Central Demonstra- 

 tion Area for Scotland, and that they had intimated, subject 

 to the adjustment of the financial questions concerned with 

 the Agriculture (Scotland) Fund referred to below, that they 

 would take a favourable view of an application for a grant 

 for cost and equipment of an estate so far as relates to the 

 educational and advisory functions of a Demonstration Area, 

 and for a loan repayable on a terminable annuity basis towards 

 the cost so far as relates to its economic purposes. 



An application from the Board of Agriculture for Scotland 

 for a grant of ^7500 for three years for Survey and Research 

 Officers was under consideration at the close of the financial 

 year. 



Ireland. — The purchase of various areas making up an 

 acreage of 14,000 acres was carried out from the loan of 

 ;^25,ooo to ^30,000 previously recommended. 



Local Authorities. — In 191 2 the Development Commissioners 

 issued a circular to Local Authorities and other responsible 

 bodies, intimating that the Commission was prepared to consider 

 applications from such 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 were of public utility and likely to prove remunerative, 

 either directly or indirectly. The Commission proposed to 

 ascertain, by means of a survey, whether the above conditions 

 were likely to be fulfilled in schemes submitted. They thought 

 that schemes should, with due regard to economy and efficiency 

 provide for varying the extent of the operations from year to year, 

 and have also regard to the question of employment. It was 

 stated as conditions, that the schemes put forward by public 

 authorities must be carried out in accordance with expert 

 advice, be open to inspection at all times, and be available 



