II 



THE POSITION OF THE AFFORESTATION QUESTION IN 

 BRITAIN AT THE OUTBREAK OF THE WAR — AND NOW 



In the introduction to these articles attention has 

 been drawn to the remarkable parallel existing between 

 the afforestation question as it confronted the country 

 in the early days of Charles II and the present time. 



We are in infinitely better case to-day, for we have 

 not now to wait the long periods necessary for the 

 growth of large oak timber such as was required to 

 build the ships of the old Navy before the introduction 

 of the steel-built vessel. Thirty-five to forty-five years 

 will suffice to produce pitwood crops and paper-pulp 

 wood, and double this period most of the other conifer 

 wood we so largely need. 



Before dealing with a suggested planting scheme for 

 this country, it will be advisable to glance at the more 

 recent past history of the afforestation question, and 

 to visualise the extraordinary, the startling, apathy in 

 the hght of our present war requirements in timber 

 materials, with which the whole subject has been re- 

 garded in the past by Government and public alike. 



To briefly recapitulate the earlier part of the his- 

 tory of this matter. We have seen that the planting 

 revival which took place in Evelyn's day as a result of 



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