OBJECTS OF PLANTING. 5 



With regard to the objects of planting, direct profit 

 is the most inductive ; but shelter, wisely arranged 

 tends greatly to improve land for agricultural pur- 

 poses, and undoubtedly increases the yield of wheat 

 and other cereals, and also materially improves the 

 condition of our flocks and herds. Ornament, too, 

 is no mean factor in rural economy, and perhaps 

 tends more to increase the capital value of land than 

 either of the foregoing. 



The principal hindrances to planting are, perhaps, 

 the large capital required and the deferred return 

 therefrom ; the difficulty in obtaining qualified fores- 

 ters, and the inertia in our landowners. The two 

 former can be overcome by the sweeping away of the 

 latter. Few improvements yield a speedy return, 

 many never return any i.e., direct return and few 

 are so certain as well-conceived and well-executed 

 planting. We do not for one moment recommend 

 planting areas fit for profitable cultivation or graz- 

 ing, but we do strongly recommend planting those 

 areas now lying idle or unremunerative. We re- 

 commend it because we know by long personal 

 experience that a return is certain and not unreason- 

 ably deferred. A man of middle age may plant with 

 a reasonable hope of reaping some share of his 

 enterprise. 



We have just visited a large covered yard, the 

 timbers of which were of larch, all home grown, and 

 all planted by men now engaged on the estate. If 

 soil and site are well chosen, thirty to forty years will 

 bring larch to a useful maturity, and yield a large 

 pecuniary return over and above the yearly income 



