AFFOEESTATION OF CATCHMENT AKEAS 89 



part let to tenants, is mostly occupied by sheep, but the 

 farms are gradually being acquired as the tenancies expire ; 

 and ultimately there will be no houses on the watershed, 

 and nothing but forest around the lake and rivers. 



When the Corporation bought the land, there were 

 170 acres of old woods on the Vyrnwy area. Planting 

 operations on commercial principles were commenced in 

 1897, in accordance with a report and plan made by 

 Prof W. Pi. Fisher in the preceding year. By April 1903 

 there were over 600 acres of old and new plantations. A 

 saw-mill was erected, and nurseries were established, which 

 enabled the subsequent planting to be carried out at a more 

 rapid rate. The total area of the plantations made up to 

 October 1918 was 1383 acres, situated between 825 and 

 1500 feet elevation, no less than 3,600,000 young trees 

 having been employed, all of which are growing splendidly. 

 The main species used have been larch, Douglas fir, spruce, 

 silver fir, Scots pine, Corsican pine, and beech, with some 

 ash, sycamore, oak, and alder. The larch and Douglas fir 

 show remarkable vigour of growth at the present time ; 

 and ultimately there will be a magnificent forest of 5000 

 acres around Lake Vyrnwy. 



On 18 th August 1914 an agreement was come to 

 between the Treasury and the Corporation, on lines laid 

 down by the Development Commissioners, for the afforesta- 

 tion of 5000 acres on the Vyrnwy area. The Treasury 

 were to advance to the Corporation from the Development 

 Fund on loan £5 per acre, as required for planting, up to 

 a limit of £25,000 ; while the Corporation were to pay to 

 the Development Fund the price of one-half of the produce 

 utilised or sold from the area afforested by means of the 

 loan, such payment to be made as and when the produce is 

 utilised or sold. 



Mr. Parry, in a paper read at the annual meeting of the 

 British Waterworks Association, 4th October 1918, says: 



" Under the agreement, as ultimately settled, the 

 Corporation have undertaken to plant an area of 4000 acres 

 around Lake Vyrnwy, in blocks of approximately 200 acres 



