220 SCIENCE PROGRESS 



Economic Botany. — The Indian Forest Record, vol. vi. 

 pt. 2, contains statistics relating to the growth and increment 

 of various Indian trees, viz. Shorea robusta, Dalbergia sissoo, 

 Acacia catechu, Terminalia tomentosa, Tectona grandis, Quercus 

 dilatata, Q. incana, Pinus longifolia, P. khasya and Cedrus 

 deodara. 



M. de Launay (La Nature, May 18, 191 8) describes the in- 

 tensive culture of paper pulp in the Sierra Morena region, by 

 a French company which exploits lead and coal mines. The 

 greatest success has attended the planting of Eucalyptus, of 

 which several kinds are employed. These trees are available 

 for use in about twelve years. They are planted about 2,500 

 to the hectare and in three or four years' time these plantations 

 already present the appearance of forests. Pines were also 

 planted, but, compared with the Eucalyptus, were much slower 

 in growth and were subject to fires, which do not affect the 

 latter. The trees are employed in part for pit-props, for 

 the supply of which the experiment was started ; but, owing 

 to its success, the original area has been quadrupled, and paper 

 pulp, acetic acid, wood-spirit, and charcoal all form important 

 products of the enterprise. 



Various contributions have appeared recently on the sub- 

 ject of British Forestry [Forestry Sub-Committee Final Report, 

 191 8, (ii) Salisbury, Timber Production in Britain, in Exploita- 

 tion of Plants, 191 7, (hi) Stirling-Maxwell, Scientific Forestry 

 for the United Kingdom]. In the first of the papers cited the 

 sub-committee emphasise the poor yield of the land at present 

 under forest, and the consequent necessity for improving the 

 conditions and enlarging the afforested area. It is estimated 

 that two million acres could be planted without decreasing the 

 home production of meat by more than 0*7 per cent., and 

 the increased employment would amount to ten times that at 

 present required. Such an area would provide a three years' 

 supply. In the second paper stress is laid on the necessity for 

 denser planting of deciduous trees, the subordination of game 

 preservation to the requirements of forestry, and the extermina- 

 tion of rabbits. The value of ecological research to Forestry 

 is also emphasised. In the third paper the author very justly 

 pleads for more scientific methods, and in this connection 

 points out the importance of trained forest officers. 



The Journal of the Royal Horticultural Society for May 



