AFFORESTATION. 325 



of acres in North Wales and Yorkshire are 

 used as catchment areas for water - works, 

 affording no returns to the municipalities which 

 own them save an occasional day's sport to a 

 few town councillors and their friends. It 

 has been proved by having the gathering 

 ground on the banks of the river Gileppe, 

 in the towii of Verviers in Belgium, under 

 forest, that this is the best means of keeping 

 the water pure and of regulating the flow. 



Then, of course, there is the revenue to be 

 derived in the future from the sale of the 

 timber. The ratepayer of to-day may say 

 that it is all very well, but / shall never derive 

 any benefit from the afforestation of our catch- 

 ment areas. One might, however, point out 

 to him that it is one way of getting the unem- 

 ployed of his town off his hands as well as 

 off his conscience, for when unemployment is 

 at its acutest, then is the time that .labour is 

 wanted for draining, fencing, digging holes, 

 and planting. But if the town corporation 

 is still unconvinced as to the civic wisdom of 

 increasing the value of land situated in a 

 different county, probably the best way would 

 be to induce Government to give a grant in 

 aid to town councils which are enterprising 



