INTRODUCTION 



at a small sum per acre. Quite recently, in 

 Wales, 7,412 acres of upland, described as 

 " rough grazing and sheep walk," was sold by 

 public auction for 15,670, or at the low rate 

 of 2 2s. 3d. per acre. The land was particu- 

 larly suitable for the growth of larch, as the 

 highly remunerative plantations adjoining 

 clearly pointed out. But numerous similar 

 cases will be given later on so that the excuse 

 of no available land is not tenable and could 

 be dealt with by a waste land reclamation 

 society. 



After careful computation I have no hesi- 

 tation in saying that the area of plantations 

 in the United Kingdom could at once be 

 doubled by the planting of waste lands which 

 at present do not bring in over 2s. per acre 

 rent annually, with infinite benefit to the 

 country generally and a vast increase in the 

 value of land both to the owner and farmer 

 who cultivates it. I have already suggested 

 that altogether not less than 1,000,000 acres 

 should be planted over a period of twenty-five 

 years at the rate of 40,000 acres per year, 

 B 17 



