CHAPTER II. 

 OBJECTS OF PLANTING. 



To meet with success in any undertaking there must 

 be an object in view. This is only stating an abstract 

 truth. So it is in forestry : the landowner will have 

 an object in view when he decides to plant. It may 

 be to create new areas or to increase those existing ; 

 to provide shelter in exposed situations, to ameliorate 

 climate, to beautify scenery, or to provide a source of 

 future income and profit to invest, in fact, a sum, 

 with a view of its accumulation. One and all of these 

 objects will present themselves to the mind of the 

 planter, and if carried out with skill and with a true 

 knowledge of forestry will undoubtedly succeed. 



Let us analyse these objects somewhat, and endea- 

 vour to show how real they are, and how free from 

 speculative dangers. Few will risk an outlay in times 

 like these which will not, prima facie, show a reason- 

 able prospect of return. Some there certainly are 

 who will sink money unwisely, and find out too late 

 that their so-called improvement has proved a delusion. 

 These years of agricultural adversity have, however, 

 checked this, and now there is a tendency to really 

 develop to the full the latent properties of our landed 

 estates. Perhaps of all improvements, as before 



