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CHAPTER V. 



FORESTRY IN THE UNITED KINGDOM. 



Forestry has been carried on in the United Kingdom for 

 many centuries. The main objects, until quite recently, were 

 the chase, shooting and landscape beauty. The economic 

 aspect came more into the foreground, since rents went 

 down and proprietors had to pay more attention to the 

 financial aspect of the industry based upon the land. In 

 bringing about this change, the example of systematic forest 

 management in India has had a powerful influence. It was 

 recognised that, if systematic, economic forestry were to 

 become an enduring thing in India and in the colonies, it 

 would be necessary to make it so in the mother country. 

 When forestry in Britain has once become an essential part of 

 the industry based upon the soil, those who go out to govern 

 the British possessions beyond the seas will be duly impressed 

 by its importance. They will bring to their spheres of action 

 a sympathetic understanding of the business, which will go a 

 long way to prevent any oscillating policy, that otherwise 

 might threaten to interfere with the progress of forest 

 management. Continuity of policy will then become the 

 order of the day, without which no industry can flourish 

 whatever its name or nature may be ; and least of all forestry, 

 the produce of which frequently requires a century and more 

 to mature. 



Thus it was in the interests of India that the author of this 

 book first took up the subject of British forestry, and it has 

 occupied him ever since he returned from India in 1885. He 

 travelled over the greater part of England, Scotland and 

 Ireland and soon became aware of the great importance to 



