The handbook provides practical guidance on raising and managing trees for profit and ornament, covering seed collection, propagation, nursery establishment, plantation layout and species selection for varied situations such as exposed ground, seaside, towns, hedgerows and ornamental planting. It treats silvicultural operations including transplanting, thinning, pruning, coppicing, bracing and fencing, and practical concerns like pest and disease control, charcoal manufacture, timber measurement and pricing. It also discusses uses of British-grown timber, utilization of forest waste, and financial and organizational aspects of afforesting waste lands, arguing for systematic planning, state support and improved education for foresters.