150 



ness with which no hand, whether of forester or landscapist, would ven- 

 ture to meddle. But, on the other hand, there are tracts which without 

 damage to the natural beauty, and without depriving in any sensible 

 degree the people of their privileges of recreation they prize so much, 

 might be and should be dealt with as forests cultivated on scientific 

 principles. These might serve as instruction areas, showing all that is 

 best for the information of foresters. The creation of some such experi- 

 mental teaching stations in State forests is one of the essentials for forestry 

 in Britain I would go further and say that the area of State ownership 

 should be increased to the extent of the establishment of forest stations, 

 of an acreage sufficient to allow of a satisfactory rotation, in other } arts 

 of the country as centres of instruction. There have been, as you are 

 aware, proposals for the afforestation of some of the three million and 

 more acres of waste land in the Highlands of Scotland capable of grow- 

 ing timber, and we await with some interest the report of the Deer 

 Forest Commission, which has taken evidence on the subject. If, as 

 has been suggested may be possible, afforestation is attempted through 

 any system of State-aided planting, an opportunity would be afforded for 

 securing what would be of so much advantage to the country. Beyond 

 this system of model experimental stations, the State ownership of 

 forest in Britain does not seem to me to be necessary in the cause of 

 forestry. 



28. Replying recently to Sir John Lubbock in the House of Commons, 

 the President of the Board of Agriculture, after recounting what his 

 Board is now doing for forestry in Britain, added : "I shall always be 

 glad to receive and to consider any suggestion for the increase of sound 

 technical knowledge on this subject." Well, now, I have a suggestion to 

 make. In a practical science like forestry " an increase of sound techni- 

 cal knowledge" can only be possible when facilities for practical instruc- 

 tion are provided. I would, therefore, ask the President to consider 

 what I have just said with regard to State forest experimental areas. 

 These cannot, of course, be created by a stroke of the pen, but the initia- 

 tive for their formation would naturally come from the Board of Agri- 

 culture. It is possible that, with betterment in forestry practice, land- 

 owners might be found who would be willing to devote portions of their 

 land for the purposes of instruction, following for forestry the noble 

 example of Sir John Lawes in his work for agriculture ; and everyone 

 interested in forestry must hope this may be so. But when the State 

 has already in its hands the means through which a large national in- 

 dustry can be fostered, it is surely incumbent on it to utilise them for 

 the purpose. And mark you, in asking for this, one does not make a 

 large demand upon the Treasury. The whole coul 1 be done at no 

 ultimate cost, for the profits from the areas could unquestionably more 

 than repay any outlay incurred upon them. 



29. The true solution of the forestry question in Britain is to be 

 found in the diffusion of accuiate knowledge of forest science. The 

 landowner has to be convinced that through scientific forestry a sound 

 and profitable investment for his capital is to be found in woodlands ; 

 the factor or land agent must be instructed in the scientific principles 

 of tree-growing for profit to enable him to secure a steady income to 

 the landowner from his invested capital ; and the working forester has 

 to be taught methods of cultivation based upon science, by which his 



