624 



SCIENCE PROGRESS 



The following statement compares the net imports of 1890 

 with those of 1909 : 



No account is taken in the above of the insignificant amount 

 of home-grown timber exported ; it was returned as ^108,673 

 in value in 1909. 



The most striking features of the comparison of the first 

 and last years of twenty years' timber trade are that the value 

 of the imports has risen 51 per cent, and the quality 38 per 

 cent. ; and that the home production has remained about the 

 same, and probably does not exceed 2,000,000 loads, or say 

 16 per cent, of the total consumption. 



A comparison of the individual classes of imports shows the 

 enormous increases of 271 per cent, in the case of household 

 frames, wood turnery, etc., and 471 per cent, in the case of 

 wood pulp ; whilst large increases are shown in the case of fir, 

 which constituted 88 per cent, of the timber imported in 1890 

 and 85 per cent, in 1909. 



These figures prove the growing need for timber, in spite 

 of the numerous substitutes now employed, and are in them- 

 selves a great argument in favour of afforestation. 



But, again, the majority of the land available for afforestation 

 is naturally poor, or has deteriorated with exposure and so is 



