FOURTH REPORT OF THE DEVELOPMENT COMMISSIONERS. 20I 



advised that loans cannot legally be made from the Development 

 Fund to individual estate-owners to encourage them to place 

 their land under timber. In Ireland they have consented to 

 raise to ^40,000 the total sum set aside for the purchase of land 

 for afforestation, and have agreed in principle with the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture and Technical Instruction on a policy of 

 concentration on areas of not less than 5000 acres. About 9000 

 acres in Ireland have been purchased, and the working-plan has 

 been settled for the first of the areas to be afforested (Ballyhoura 

 in County Cork), and the first instalment paid of a total advance 

 of ^3 1,430 for planting and maintenance. Communications are 

 proceeding for the settlement of the working-plans of two other 

 areas." 



Scotland. — "Provision was made for higher Forestry Education 

 in 1911-12 by a grant of ^i 1,000 (to cover a period of five years) 

 to Edinburgh University, for the joint benefit of students at the 

 University and at the East of Scotland College of Agriculture. 

 During the past year a further step has been taken. A settle- 

 ment has been reached of the differences (mainly on financial 

 questions) between the Commissioners and the Board of 

 Agriculture for Scotland in regard to the Board's application 

 for a grant for the appointment of forestry ofificers for advisory, 

 survey and research work, and the Commissioners have recom- 

 mended a grant of _;^i5oo for the salaries and expenses of three 

 such officers during 1914-15. 



"Towards the end of the year the Commissioners received an 

 application from the University of Aberdeen for advances of 

 ;^25oo to pay the salaries of a permanent assistant to the 

 present lecturer, and of an additional lecturer for five years, 

 ;;^2ooo for the equipment of a forestry museum and laboratories, 

 and a further sum (from ^^4000 to ;!^75oo) for the building of a 

 forestry class-room, museum and laboratories ; they could not, 

 however, see their way to recommend advances on the scale 

 desired, and have asked the University to submit a revised and 

 reduced scheme. 



" They think that the provision already made for forestry 

 education at Edinburgh (together with further provision to be 

 made at Aberdeen) and the appointment of the three forestry 

 officers will go a great way towards meeting immediate require- 

 ments ; but they have always been of opinion that, in addition, 

 a demonstration area should, if possible, be provided for Scottish 



