§ Sir SAMUEL SCOTTasked the Secretary to the Treasury what progress had been made with the Government afforestation scheme in Scotland; what number of the necessary trees have been ordered in the United Kingdom, and what number in Germany or elsewhere abroad, specifying the species of tree ordered?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Mr. Charles Hobhouse)The fencing of the area to be planted during the next two years has been put up. Planting, which will extend this season to about 150 acres, has been begun upon the ground which was prepared last year, but for the present is stopped by the frost. The area of the nursery at Ford has been extended, and at the present time occupies about five acres. The following seedlings for the nursery were purchased in the United Kingdom in February last:—45,000 Scots pine, 40,000 larch, 180,000 spruce, 15,000 Douglas spruce, 5,000 Sitka spruce; and at the same time 100,000 spruce were purchased in Germany at a cost of £6 17s. 4d. The following plants have been ordered in the United Kingdom for direct planting on the hillside (no plants having been ordered abroad for this purpose):—150,000 larch, 80,000 Scots pine, 35,000 Douglas spruce, 45,000 silver fir, 240,000 spruce, 40,000 Sitka spruce.