166 THE AFFORESTATION SCHEMES 



exposed hillside in the early spring, followed as it 

 would be by the return to a warm house and dry 

 clothes. And the townsman has learnt to use a 

 spade and pick with as much facility as the country- 

 side expert. It has also been proved during the 

 war that women can undertake planting work on 

 all but the rougher ground. 



The Report of the Forestry Sub-Committee, in- 

 fluenced by war conditions, as already mentioned, 

 recommended the afforestation of an area of 

 1,770,000 acres only on the basis that this area 

 will provide a three-year reserve supply for a 

 future war i.e. the national safety basis. The 

 Committee took no evidence, which minimises the 

 value of its report, in spite of the explanation offered 

 that it had access to all the information and evidence 

 on the matter. We may conclude, therefore, that 

 it was conversant with the report of the Erosion 

 Commission. In fact some of its members had given 

 evidence before that Commission. 



It becomes difficult, therefore, to account, save for 

 the above-mentioned reason, for the great disparity 

 between the recommendations from 9,000,000 acres 

 to under 2,000,000. Whether we shall ever be able 

 to work up to the 9,000,000 acres of forest in this 

 country is beside the present question. It will be a 

 matter for the consideration of our children and 

 grandchildren, who will by then be in possession of 

 the full facts as to the profits to be derived from 

 commercial forestry in the country, and will know 

 more about future prices of timber than we ever 

 shall. But the point which requires, it may be 



