12 AN INTRODUCTION 



moist, they will only succeed on fairly deep soil containing 

 plenty of moisture. 



As regards the choice l of trees that may be planted on 

 waste lands, it may be accepted as a general rule that land 

 which is covered with heather, or at any rate on which the 

 heather has long been established, is almost always too acid 

 for the growth of any valuable broad-leaved trees ; and 

 therefore the choice must be confined to the conifers. 



However, apart from the afforestation of waste lands, it 

 will nearly always pay well, even at present prices, to replant 

 any land from which a crop of timber has just been removed. 

 For such land will generally be suitable for planting some of 

 those species of trees which are very profitable, even though 

 an unprofitable species may have just been cleared. And 

 even if it be necessary to replant with a species which is not 

 at present profitable if planted on maiden land, yet, if the 

 land be clean, a profit may often be realised owing to the 

 decreased cost of establishing the crop. 



Land from which a crop has been removed is usually 

 practically worthless except for replanting ; for the cost of 

 converting it into farming land is nearly always prohibitive. 



So also, there are large areas of land now let to farmers 

 at low rents of about 53. to 73. an acre, which are very 

 inferior for farming purposes, but which, if afforested, should 

 easily return rentals equivalent to 93. or los. an acre, or 

 considerably more, if suitable for the growth of Douglas Fir 

 or Black Poplars. 



Considerable quantities of such land exist on most 

 estates on the northern aspects, on which, it should be noted, 

 tree growth usually flourishes best ; whereas land with a 

 northern aspect is always inferior for farming purposes. 

 Such land, also, usually exists in considerable quantities in 

 districts where the surface soil is shallow, but where there is 

 a very disintegrated subsoil rock. However, unless a rise in 

 the price of home grown timber be assured, it is hardly 

 likely that any considerable number of landowners will deem 

 it expedient to sacrifice an existing present rental for the 

 ] This matter is fully dealt with in Chapter V. 



