the quantities of wood so cut, but figures given 
out by the Forestry Commission in 1920 [For- 
estry in the United Kingdom—statement pre- 
pared by the Forestry Commission for the 
British Empire Forestry conference. London, 
July, 1920, p. 31] throw some light on the mat- 
ter, to wit: 
“The area felled during the war is estimated 
to amount to approximately 470 square miles. 
Taking an average of 1,600,000 cubic feet, the 
total utilization would be 750,000,000 cubic 
feet.” These figures do not perhaps seem large 
in terms of American forests, but when one 
stops to consider that all figures are relative 
and that after all both England and Scotland 
have but limited areas of land surface, he 
comes to appreciate their ‘significance. Cer- 
tain it is that had_the war continued another 
year practically every estate plantation would 
have been requisitioned, including perhaps 
even the old Scots pine forest at Ballochbuie 
on the King’s personal estate at Balmoral, 
Scotland. 
About Balmoral and on another big estate 
just over the mountains, at Grantown-on-Spey, 
the Scots pine reproduces naturally and abun- 
dantly. In most other localities the Scottish 
and British foresters have to rely on artificial 
planting, which naturally leads, with the even 
aged stands, to the adoption of clear cutting, 
followed by planting. In this particular 
America has a distinct advantage, in that in 
so many parts of our country natural reproduc- 
tion can be depended on for a new crop, pro- 
vided always that some seed trees are left and 
that fire is kept out. In the United Kingdom, 
too, much outlay has to be made for the pro- 
tection of forest plantations from rabbits, and 
in some localities, from deer. The cost of 
fencing soon runs into large figures. Likewise, 
in certain sections drainage of the land by 
open ditches is felt to be essential, while in 
other localities the cleaning out of grass, 
bracken and other growth has to precede 
the establishment of the young trees on land 
that is being newly planted. When to these 
charges are added the high rates of post-war 
labor, tree planting becomes an expensive 
process, one that demands the rapid growth 
that is made for example by Douglas fir. 
But to revert to private estate forestry. One 
who has visited that rugged bit of the Scottish 
Highlands, as it was my privilege to do a fort- 
night since, cannot wonder that the King likes 
to’ retire to Balmoral for real relaxation. But 
save for the old Scots pines that estate and 
the adjacent one, Abergeldie, belonging to the 
Prince of Wales, are not as interesting from a 
forest standpoint as are others where the in- 
troduction and planting of trees has been an 
avocation of the proprietors, often for several 
successive generations. Timber tree planta- 
tions started under such auspices are more 
than mere commercial forests. That was why 
it hurt to have them requisitioned and swept 
away during the war. But I was told that al- 
most without exception the owners willingly 
responded to the call when it.was made. 
To anyone who at all possesses the historic 
sense, it becomes evident that the value to 
their owners of these estate forests is almost 
inestimable. When our host on one of them in 
Wales casually referred to a forest right that 
dated back to the 18th century as if it were 
an everyday matter, as to him it doubtless 
was, it tended to bring home to one what these 
great landed properties mean to the families 
that have held them through all the years. 
Whether or not one approves the theory of the 
British land system, he cannot come away from 
the United Kingdom without realizing that on 
these estates he has got close to the heart of 
Britain. 
As to, the value to the nation of the estate 
forests and for one other point worth noting in 
‘this connection, I cannot refrain from quoting 
again from the report of the Forestry Commis- 
sion, because of its bearing on the present af- 
forestation program. Speaking of the three 
solid achievements of British private forestry, 
it says [p. 8]: 
“(1) The trees were planted, which, during 
the recent war, when it was a choice between 
importing food or timber, enabled the people 
of these islands to be fed. 
“(2) The faster growing conifers were in- 
troduced and the way paved for planting 
them on a commercial scale, a step which may, 
if there is no unforeseen set-back, revolutionize 
continental ideas on length of rotation and 
maximum yield. 
“(3) Experiments were made, which though 
not fully recorded, should with intelligent in- 
vestigation supply much of the information re- 
ae for the successful establishment of state 
orests.” 
It cannot, I think, be too strongly emphasized 
that our British cousins are not going at this 
great planting plan of theirs blindly, or that in 
pinning their faith to exotic species like Doug- 
las fir, they are doing so without good reasons. 
On the various estates, but particularly in 
Scotland, practical men have been watching 
and noting through several generations what 
small groups and demonstration areas of these 
trees have been doing. This information, un- 
fortunately, is only in part tabulated, but it is 
nevertheless available and the tree planters of 
today are being guided by the Successes and 
failures of the past. Striking examples of such 
continued interest in exotic trees and experi- 
mental plantations are to be found in Scotland 
on the Murthly Estate, near Birnam (whence 
traveled the wood to Dunsinane), which is 
noted for the wonderful avenues of magnificent 
old trees of many kinds that adorn the “noli- 
cies” or grounds immediately about the castle. 
The neighboring estate of the Duke of Atholl 
at Dunkeld still cherishes one of the original 
larch trees introduced into Scotland from the 
continent by the head of that house in 1738. 
It is said that these trees were first grown in 
a greenhouse, but as they were doing poorly 
they were thrown out, fortunately to strike 
root in the soil and become the progenitors of 
all the larch forests of Scotland today. The 
old tree has a girth at 3 feet of some 17 feet 
. (12) 
