14 AN INTRODUCTION 



the adoption of general schemes of afforestation, from a 

 purely financial point of view : 



Considerations in favour of General Afforestation 

 Schemes in this Country : 



(1) The climate of this country is admirably suited for 



tree growth. 



(2) This country at present imports enormous quantities 



of coniferous timber, which, if grown at home, would 

 represent the yearly production of about 10 million 

 acres of land. 



(3) The easily available supplies for export, in the chief 



exporting countries in Europe, are rapidly diminish- 

 ing ; and European countries do not at present 

 supply the total requirements of the whole of 

 Europe ; and these requirements are continually 

 increasing. 



(4) The prices of timber will probably rise when the 



produce of virgin forests is no longer forthcoming. 



(5) In the advent of a change in the fiscal policy of Great 



Britain, prices of home-grown timber would advance 

 if an import duty were levied upon foreign timber. 



(6) As areas become afforested, so, it is asserted, will 



new local industries, utilising wood as their raw 

 material, be established ; and thus, better prices 

 should be obtained for timber. 



This, however, is very problematical, for it has not 

 occurred in many well-wooded districts where there 

 is a difficulty in marketing the timber. 



(7) Improved methods could be adopted to some extent 



in the marketing of timber ; thereby securing to the 

 grower a better price. Such methods would include 

 the semi-conversion of timber in the locality where 

 grown. 



(8) The price of certain kinds of timber will probably 



rise considerably owing to special circumstances. 

 For instance, Poplar wood, 1 on account of its fire- 



1 The non-inflammability of Poplar wood has long been recognised 

 by land agents in hop districts, and used, in consequence, for the 



