22 POSITION OF AFFORESTATION QUESTION 



the Edinburgh Water Trust by their enlightened policy 

 thus led the way in this matter in Scotland. 



Lanarkshire. — A scheme for afforesting part of an 

 area of 5,000 acres on the Camps catchment area, 

 owned by the Lanarkshire County Council, has recently 

 been adopted by that enlightened body and the 

 planting work has been commenced. 



Other places are also considering the matter, but for 

 various local reasons have not yet started their schemes. 



It will be seen, therefore, that a commencement of 

 this important work had been made before the war 

 broke out. Still more significant perhaps is the fact 

 that a number of the business men of the country had 

 shown by their acceptance of the offer of the Develop- 

 ment Commissioners that they realised the great possi- 

 bilities of afforestation in this country. And this 

 realisation had come to them before the war. 



The aspect of the question has now entirely changed. 

 As has been shown, the price of timber in the future 

 will certainly be greater than in the past, and affores- 

 tation will prove a paying investment. 



Ireland 



The land conditions in Ireland are different and a 

 State Forest Department is now in existence. Land 

 has been purchased and three large centres are now 

 owned by the State, and are being planted out of funds 

 from the Development Commissioners. These areas 

 are in Central Wicklow, County Cork (Ballyhoura), and 

 in Queen's County (Slieve Bloom). 



This was, broadly speaking, the position of affairs 



