APPENDIX. 129 



These charges on land of such quality may be small, but 

 nevertheless they are annual payments unaccompanied by any 

 visible return at all, and cannot fail to act as a deterrent. 

 The Rating Act of 1874 did much to discourage planting, 

 and if it could be to this extent repealed, and land thus 

 beneficially occupied be held free from all taxation until the 

 first thinning be realised, it would be an encouragement. 

 Surely this is worthy of consideration ? 



Tax existing woodlands by all means so long as land is 

 taxed at all ; but hold land yielding no tangible return free 

 until such becomes appreciable. Some will say, trees are 

 growing, wood is deposited each year, and therefore there is a 

 profit, and a real benefit attaches to the occupation. This 

 may be so, and of course is truly so, but it is unfelt, and the 

 payment is out of pocket of the owner who will probably not 

 ultimately reap. 



Where inducement to plant is desirable to achieve success 

 in reforesting, all reasonable obstacles should be removed; 

 and the rule and basis of taxation not unduly strained. 



In addition to selection of land from its intrinsic point of 

 view, the rental value of such must be considered. The 

 question therefore arises, when will land pay better to plant 

 than to cultivate? It may be considered, too, from a capital- 

 value standpoint. For example : If a syndicate or com- 

 pany be formed with the sole object of afforestation, at what 

 price could they afford to buy the land ? In other words, 

 will it pay to plant land worth, say, ten or twenty pounds an 

 acre ? Our own opinion is that if the land can be let at ten 

 shillings an acre planting becomes a doubtful improvement. 

 Nevertheless there are many plantations which have resulted 

 in a rent greater than this even on very poor land land 

 that will barely command a rent at all under present condi- 

 tions of agriculture. There are many extensive agricultural 

 areas within a few hours of London which may be bought 



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