AFFOKESTATION OF CATCHMENT AREAS 91 



each year, thus extending the completion of the scheme 

 over a period of twenty years. A working plan was 

 prepared and approved of by Government on which these 

 twenty sections are marked out, but there is provision for 

 deviations being made if required by circumstances. The 

 Government contribute a sum per acre which is intended 

 to cover approximately the actual cost of planting. Also 

 they contribute a specified allowance per acre in respect of 

 maintenance. Payment is made by the Treasury in 

 advance at the beginning of each planting season, after 

 inspection and approval of the previous year's planting by 

 an expert from the Forestry Department. In consideration 

 of these advances, the Corporation have to pay to the 

 Treasury a sum equal to one-half of the net value of all 

 timber, saplings, thinnings, and other products resulting 

 from the joint operations. There is also an arbitration 

 clause in the event of differences arising between the 

 Corporation and the Board of Agriculture or Treasury. 

 Briefly, the arrangement is, that the Corporation provide 

 the land, plant the trees, and sell the products. The 

 Government pay, in advance, the cost of planting. The 

 profits are divided equally between the two parties." 



Mr. Parry, to whom I am much indebted for information 

 about the Liverpool catchment areas, attaches " great im- 

 portance to the agreement between the Government and 

 the Corporation, chiefly because it ensures the working ou.t 

 of a planting scheme over a large area. Any scheme 

 undertaken by a Municipal Corporation, unaided and 

 uncontrolled, is liable to interruption through the changes 

 constantly taking place in the composition of Councils ; and 

 there is also considerable danger of mismanagement." 



The adoption of this scheme involved the taking in 

 hand, during twenty years, of 9 farms on the Vyrnwy area, 

 from which the Corporation now derive a gross rental of 

 £583, and a net rental (allowing for repairs) of £498. 

 These farms cover 9645 acres, including grouse moors also 

 let for sporting, not suitable for planting. The value of 

 the sporting would be considerably increased by the removal 



