— S3 — 
digging and planting. Were tliey to take t liis in hand along 
the public roads which intersect or bound their properties, the 
Government on the other hand may fairly undertake to supply 
seeds and plants gratis and carriage free along the Railway 
lines and to supply the necessary guardians at tire rate of one 
man per mile or so, during the time necessary to watch over the 
young plants. There arc some localities where much lias al- 
ready been done in this direction, and where an enlightened 
public spirit has been at work on a task which is both for the 
private advantage of the proprietor, and for the public utility, 
but in place of a few solitary instances here and there it may 
not be too much to expect to sec the proprietors as a body en- 
ter heartily into the project, and compete with each other as to 
who should do most at this work. In order that some record 
may be kept of the progress which has been achieved, I would 
venture to suggest that Mr Ilsrnc should mention prominently 
in his annual Reports those of the proprietors who have co-opc- 
ralcd with the Government in the furtherance of this improve- 
ment. 
In addition to the planting of the public roads (which is 
all that the Ordinance makes compulsory) it is possible that in 
various places, odd nooks and corners might be found on the 
line of the roads which could be more advantageously planted 
than devoted to any other purpose. The Government might 
fairlv undertake to plant these if the portion of land were de- 
dicated by the proprietor to the public use, to be treated in the 
same way as the Reserves, viz : that the property of the soil 
should remain with the proprietor, but after dedication and 
planting, that the proprietor should cease to have the right to 
cut the trees, except such judicious thinnings and cuttings as 
might be approved of by the Forest Department. 
