THE DENIZENS OF THE FOREST. II3 



The latter have always been encouraged in every way in 

 some Continental forests, even to the extent of placing artificial 

 nests in woods to encourage their settlement, and tend to an 

 abatement of insects, grubs, larv?e, etc. 



The attitude of each individual towards the encouragement of 

 game, whether furred or feathered, must to a large extent be 

 coloured by his views as to "sport," especially in Scotland. 



Independently of sport, game possesses a food value, which is 

 considerable at all times, and sometimes essential in sickness and 

 in hospitals; it is also economically a by-product of forestry 

 which increases the value of the industry without harming it 

 in any way, if judiciously controlled. 



A moderate attitude towards "sport" as such, and in 

 Scotland, appears to be something as follows : — 



Sport is a valuable recreation, a means of considerable 

 employment of labour, and a by no means negligible source of 

 food. But if carried to such excess that all the best houses in 

 the Highlands are only shooting-lodges, only occupied two 

 months in the year and vacant for ten, and reserved (as well 

 as huge areas around them) for generally absentee tenants or 

 proprietors among the sporting and idle rich, drawn from else- 

 where to supplant a native and resident gentry — then such 

 sport is nothing but a curse to a country. 



It is because forestry promises to win back these vacant areas 

 to carry profitable crops {of timber), and to support in comfort 

 and sufficiency by means of industry a large resident popula- 

 tion of all classes, that this industry so appeals to all who 

 have the welfare of our country at heart. But it by no means 

 follows that planting, however extensive, need imply that animal 

 and bird life should be totally extinguished in its glades, nor 

 even that wholesome sport need be even lessened. 



Afforestation, however, is bound to bring change to future 

 denizens ; they cannot be the same as those of the heath and 

 the moorland. It is as well to consider now in what manner 

 these changes will be guided and introduced, and in a more 

 thorough and scientific manner than has been attempted in 

 these few paragraphs, which can only serve, at the best, as 

 suggestions for more capable treatment of a fascinating and 

 all-important detail of woodland interests. 



