1884.] FORESTRY IN EUROPE AND AMERICA. 87 



FORESTRY IX EUROPE AND AMERICA. 



A LECTURE. BY DE. LYOXS, M.r. 



IN our last i.ssue we presented our readers with J\lr. Baty's paper, 

 the last of nine lectures delivered at tlie International Forestry 

 Exhibition in Edinlmrgh. We now give the first of the series 

 delivered in July last l)y Dr. Lyons, M.P. for Dublin, on 

 " Forestry in Europe and America." Dr. Cleghorn was in the chair, 

 and iDriefly introduced the lecturer, who, after some prefatory re- 

 marks, said : — Ireland was lilce -vvliat the rest of this empire was at 

 one time, which might be put in a general way at sometliing about 

 300 years ago, a well wooded country. In no respect had the com- 

 munity all over the three countries suffered more than in regard to 

 forests, which were up to 300 years ago abundant in all parts of 

 the empire. Industries were largely dependent on a good supply 

 of timber. Having satisfied himself by careful inipiiry that one of 

 the most potent causes of the backward industry in Ireland was the 

 scantiness of timber su[)ply, it appeared to liim that the natural line 

 of operations was to make efforts to replace the timber which at 

 one time they enjo3''ed in far greater abundance thali they did now, 

 and without which no country in any part of the world could hope 

 to cope with her rivals in the prosecutions of industries. That 

 great cptestion he had the liouour of bringing before Parliament on 

 several occasions, and last year he brought in a Bill to deal with 

 the re-afforesting of Ireland. He received most generous help from 

 a large number of Englisli and Scotch members, and members of 

 his own country were by degrees rousing tliemselves to the con- 

 sideration of this important subject. The Government had causetl 

 official inc^uiries to be made abroad. Throughout most of the 

 European States they found forests conserved with the utmost care. 

 In proof of this, he had personal guarantee from those who knew 

 Prince Bismarck that there was no subject in the whole dominion 

 of Germany to whieii he paid more close and continuous attention 

 than to that of forests, with a view of keeping them in a con- 

 dition of constant fertility, using them as they were required for 

 the working of the State, but taking care that for every tree that 

 was cut down for the use of the people another tree and more 

 tlian anotlier tree was planted. Through the agency of the Foreign 

 Office the following 



STATISTICS OF FOREST AREAS 



had been obtained. 



