CHAP, i.] Forestry in Britain 23 



of Dunkeld, the Head Forester of the Athole woods, extending 

 to over 20,000 acres, gave the following evidence : 



877. Do you consider that the land-agents, or the factors, as they are 

 called in Scotland, are fairly well informed as to the management of woods 

 and timber ? Very few of them, I think. 



878. What, in your opinion, are the subjects on which factors and 

 woodmen are deficient ? They are deficient in the knowledge of what trees 

 ought to be planted on suitable soils, and when thinning out ought to 

 commence ; and, in fact, the general management of the woods altogether. 



And if the majority of the men concerned with the adminis- 

 tration of woodlands are thus ill-provided with knowledge 

 respecting the formation, the tending, and the management of 

 timber crops, it is certainly open to reasonable doubt if they 

 can possibly be in a position to have the soundest ideas with 

 regard to the utilization of the latter when they have- reached 

 their financial or their economic maturity. 



It is, of course, by no means improbable that a shrewd, 

 observant, practical forester may often arrive at proper methods 

 of treating certain crops without at the same time having any 

 true scientific knowledge of the natural laws influencing either 

 tree-growth in general, or the various individual species of 

 trees in particular. Mr. Macgregor again spoke with no 

 uncertain voice on this point : 



1047. You have had no instruction (on forestry) ? No. 



1048. Do you think you would have done better if you had had a course 

 of scientific instruction ? / have not the slightest doubt of it ; I have felt the 

 want of it all along. I had to read up, and there are very few books to read. 



1049. That is your own experience, and you are prepared to recommend 

 that men beginning life as foresters should have some definite instructions ? 

 Certainly. 



The preparation of text-books on the various branches of 

 Forestry was to have been one of the functions of the Board 

 of Forestry recommended by the Committee in 1887. But 

 practically nothing has been done in this direction. 



It would not be at all right if at the same time I did not 

 point out that evidence was given before the Committee on 

 Forestry tending to show that planting up in England could 



