8 AN INTRODUCTION 



As regards Afforestation as a Means of affording Work 

 for the Unemployed. Within recent years there has been 

 some considerable discussion as to the advisability of 

 adopting schemes of afforestation as a means of providing 

 work in the winter months for those who may be out of 

 employment. 



It has been urged that even if such schemes did not pay 

 financially, they are justified and advisable, inasmuch as 

 " relief works " of some sort must be embarked upon, and 

 the planting up of land gives employment in the winter 

 months. 



Now, apart from the financial losses which will probably 

 result from most schemes of afforestation embarked upon in 

 order to provide " relief works," a careful consideration of the 

 whole matter should convince even the most enthusiastic 

 supporter of such schemes, that the afforestation of land is 

 singularly unsuited as a means of affording winter employ- 

 ment for those who may be seeking work. 



Among the more important reasons why afforestation 

 " relief works " cannot be considered advisable, may be 

 mentioned the facts that the cost of the manual labour 

 required in the winter months, in order to establish a crop 

 on maiden land (including cleaning for the first few years), 

 represents only about one-third 1 of the total outlay expended 

 in planting, fencing, cleaning, etc. ; and that about an acre of 

 land must be acquired for every 2 2 that can be distributed 

 as wages in the winter months. 



Hence, supposing that land could be acquired for 8 an 

 acre, and that the cost of planting, fencing, and cleaning the 

 young crop, etc., were 6 per acre, then, for every 2 that 

 can be distributed as wages in the winter months, a capital 

 of 14 is required. So that, in order to provide 100 men 

 with winter work for 16 weeks, at i per week, it would be 



1 This, however, must vary a great deal. 



2 This depends upon whether planting be done in pits or by notching, 

 etc. ; I acre to 2 in wages has been taken as an average, though if the 

 notching of seedlings were adopted, a greater acreage would be required. 

 On ordinary waste land trees should seldom be planted in pits. 



