316. Great Britain. 



versification in which treeplanting received attention. 

 Ever since that time, periodically and spasmodically, 

 the question of forestry has been agitated, without 

 serious result. 



From 1775 to 1781, the Society of Arts in London 

 offered gold medals and prizes for treeplanting, and 

 in the beginning of the 19th century a revival of 

 arboricultural interest was experienced, perhaps as a 

 result of an interesting report by the celebrated 

 Admiral Nelson on the mismanagement of the forest of 

 Dean, concern for naval timber giving the incentive, 

 in which he recommended the planting of oak for 

 investment. 



At that time a Surveyor-General, with an insuffi- 

 cient force, was in charge of the crown forests. In 1809 

 the management was placed under a board of three 

 Commissioners, one of whom being a member of 

 parliament was changed with the administration. 

 Under this management, graft became so rampant 

 that, in 1848, a committee of the House of Commons 

 was appointed, whose report revealed the most aston- 

 ishing rottenness, placing a stigma on government 

 management such as we uncover in the United States 

 from time to time. A reorganization took place in 

 1851. At that time the royal forests and parks, 

 reduced in extent to about 200,000 acres, showed a 

 deficiency of $125,000, mostly, to be sure, occasioned 

 by the parks. There was then still a tribute of some 

 600 bucks to be delivered to various personages, as 

 was the ancient usuge. 



At present there are some 115,000 acres classed as 

 royal forest, but only 57,000 acres are really forest 



