Betting on the ottery

摘要

This year, writes David Taylor, I'm reminded of an old music hall song in contemplating what is euphemistically called the forestry investment market. You1 all know it: 'I've got a luverly bunch of coconuts', runs the first line; 'big ones, small ones, some as big as your 'ead' - I'm sure I don't need to go on. It's been the year when the barrow-boys have taken over in the south, and a year, from many accounts, when purchasers have often behaved as if they had coconuts for brains. Over the years, the craze for making a buck out of lotting woods into small parcels, trebling the price and flogging them off to those gullible enough to buy has come round time and time again.