THE STATE AND PRIVATE OWNERS 241 



monopolise the whole of the benefit secured by tree-plant- 

 ing. This work, therefore, stands in a somewhat different 

 category from most operations associated with private en- 

 terprise, and deserves encouragement in a more practical 

 way than that usually extended to individual effort. 



It is true that individual effort can never be replaced by 

 public authorities. But the amount of planting which 

 takes place when special facilities are given must be 

 greater than when these are absent, and it is clearly the 

 duty of those in charge of public affairs to interest them- 

 selves in providing such facilities as will enable every 

 owner of an acre of land to plant a few trees, or the owner 

 of 100 acres to plant an acre or two if he desires. It 

 may be urged that public nurseries and average in- 

 telligence enable any man to procure trees and plant 

 them, and nothing more is necessary provided the will 

 to plant exists, but experience proves that these agencies 

 are insufficient in poor districts. The small farmer or 

 landowner has a very scanty knowledge of species and 

 their suitability for different soils and situations. He 

 has, as a rule, little money to spare in experiments and 

 speculative undertakings. And he is often content to 

 take things as they are, and trouble himself little about 

 improvements which are not of immediate benefit to him 

 or his home. 



In wealthy districts in which abundance of shelter trees 

 already exist, no necessity may arise for such assistance in 

 this work. In most districts in the south of England and 

 Midlands hedgerow trees are in sufficient numbers to 

 supply all that is needed in this direction. In picturesque 

 districts the attractions offered to men of means and 

 leisure result in the creation of a large number of small 

 estates, and planting on these is practically universal. 

 Large residential estates in the hands of wealthy owners 

 have been usually well cared for in the past, and it is only 



Q 



