PRACTICAL FORESTRY. 



ever-increasing industry so created will cause hamlets to 

 spring up in the wooded regions, just as we find is the 

 case in mining and quarrying districts. 



After careful computation I have no hesitation in saying 

 that the area of plantations in the United Kingdom could 

 at once be doubled by the planting of waste lands which 

 at present do not bring in over 2s. per acre per year of 

 rental, with infinite benefit to the country generally and 

 a vast increase in the value of land both to the owner 

 and farmer who cultivates it. In the matter of afforesting 

 a grain of practice is worth a ton of theory, and as I 

 have personally supervised every operation, from marking 

 out the plantation boundary on the exposed hillside, to 

 draining, fencing, planting, thinning, and disposing of the 

 produce, my opinions on the question are at least worthy 

 of consideration. 



Cost of Forming Plantations. Taking the British Isles 

 as a whole the cost of forming plantations cannot be put 

 down at a lower figure than 5 per acre. Of course much 

 will depend on the site of plantation, quality of soil, and 

 cost of labour in the particular district where planting is 

 to be engaged in, but generally in dealing with waste and 

 mountain ground the conditions are much alike. The cost 

 of fencing and draining will frequently make a difference 

 of fully 2 per acre; while where neither have to be 

 engaged in owing to the natural lie of the ground I have 

 known planting to be carried out at a less cost than 3 

 per acre. The following prices which have actually been 

 paid for forming plantations will be interesting as coming 

 from various parts of the country: 

 ENGLAND : 



Yorkshire (North Riding) ; 70 acres, 600 feet 



altitude. Cost of planting per acre 3 1 



Cost of Fencing 1 17 9 



TOTAL ... 4 18 9 

 SCOTLAND : 



Ross-shire; 3,950 acres, 100 to 1,200 feet 



altitude ; heathy soil. Planting per acre 2 10 

 Inverness-shire ; 1,295 acres, 800 feet altitude. 

 Cost per acre (including 1 per acre for 



enclosure) 3 10 



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