i8 
Land & Water 
February 7, 191 8 
where silviculture has been most practised, and is most 
valued. Forestry creates new values, " expressed partly in 
terms of population, and partly in terms of wealth." In other 
countries the construction of forests is regarded m the same 
light as the construction of roads, bridges, or breakwaters, 
which are of definite national value, though the capital 
sunk in them mav produce no direct return. 
All the members sign the report, but two of them add 
reservations. Lord Lovat, who speaks with knowledge of 
the subject, urges that the recommendation to create a new 
department is not sufficiently strongly worded, and gives 
four reasons for his view. We need only quote the first of 
these to justify him : " To make a definite break with the 
past, to get out of the welter of conflicting authorities and 
to escape from the arena of party poUtics, Koyal Commissions 
and amateur inquiries." Mr. L. C. Bromley, on the other hand, 
objects to its creation on the ground of expense. As, however, 
Mr. Bromley had a seat on the Committee as a representative 
of the Treasury he has, of course, to defend the usual attitude 
of that Department towards eveiy new proposal involving 
expenditure. On very many occasions such an attitude is 
defensible, but it is submitted that this is an exception. 
Unquestionably the best authority will be a distinct branch 
of the Board of Agriculture, and as the report hints at an 
enlarged Ministry of Agriculture this separate branch might 
well be the central authority for the British Isles, or at 
least for Great Britain. A new and separate Department is 
unnecessary and undesirable from every point of view, but 
chiefly because another Department involves two more paid 
and controlled politicians, two less free men in the House of 
Commons, and because it therefore means that we shall not 
" escape from the arena of party politics," as Lord Lovat 
so wisely desires we should. It is impossible to be quite 
clear of them if national funds are in question, but a perma- 
nent Commission, with the Minister for Agriculture to reply 
for it in Parliament, much on the lines of the Development 
Commission, will allow as little interference as our methods of 
government render possible. 
Some objection must be raised to the suggested rate of State 
assistance to private owners for planting new areas, or for 
replanting recently-cleared woodlands, as they are anything 
but generous. A grant of £2 per acre towards the cost of 
planting conifers, and £4 towards the cost of planting ap- 
proved hardwoods is little enough by itself, for the Commit- 
tee does not consider that the planted land should be relieved 
from rates and income tax (schedule A). It do_s suggest, 
however, that relief from these burdens might be offered as 
an alternative to the grant. The loss either to local autho- 
rities or to the State, if these charges were removed from 
properly-planted woodlands would not be large in the aggre- 
gate, but the relief would mean a great deal to many individual 
owners. Instead of being alternatives the grant and the 
relief should both be allowed, though the value of sporting 
rights must justly still be chargeable with local rates. 
The Committee is consistent in its niggardliness, for it 
further targes that replanting of recently ciear-fclled areas 
have not as good a claim to the full grant as it recommends 
for taking up new ground, " because planting wiU lie cheaper, 
they may (our italics) be clear of growth, drained, fenced, and 
freed from rabbits, and because, as their timber-producing 
capacity will be exactly known, few mistakes will be made 
in replanting." This quotation is all governed by th6 word 
"may" ; but it is quite certain that these possible advantages 
will very seldom be found to exist. If the cleared area is to be 
properly planted the tree roots must be grubbed out or other- 
wise removed. New ground will not have to carry this ex- 
pense. It is highly improballe that land which has been 
timbered for sixty or more years will have any drains that 
continue to work : it is very rare that a cleared area does not 
require re-fencing, and if the fences are only partly broken 
down it will not be clear of rabbits. The only real advantage 
will be that mentioned last — the experience gained. 
As the Committee says, however, that many owners have 
lost money over their recent sales of timber, it means^if 
effect be given to this recommendation to give a smaller 
grant for replanting — that those owners who took all the risks 
of planting, and who now have borne the loss for the good of 
the country, are to be treated rather worse than others who 
have done nothing. This is how" Government encourages 
private enterprise ! 
The average Blue Book is a repulsive document to the 
ordinal^ reader, nor, considering its usual style, is this sur- 
prising. The report under review, however, is a happy con- 
trast to the average. It is well constructed and arrargod, 
the phrasing is lucid and unstilted, and the official flavour 
which makes most of these publications so arid, is almost 
absent. Another refreshing feature is that recommen- 
dations are made in straight-forward language, without 
hesitating periods and qualifying words. 
I do not often urge my friends to buy Government 
publications, but a shilling spent on this report will be a good 
investment ; for if the present critical position of the country 
is to be remedied popular opinion is needed to bring about 
a change. On such serious matters as this uninstructed 
opinion is dangerous, and nothing now is more required than 
informed views on, these vital problems of reconstruction. 
Timber Hauling in Wales 
