Outlook of the Timber Supply. 47 



France, which is also relying upon imports to a very large 

 extent shows a still more striking increase of importations namely 

 10% per annum for the last 70 years, while the population during 

 the whole period increased only 20%; here progressive deforesta- 

 tion may account for the great increase of imports. 



But in Germany we know the cut at home has constantly in- 

 creased during the last 40 years or more, and yet the importations 

 have also increased. While in 1863 her exports of forest pro- 

 ducts still exceeded her imports by 125,000 tons, after that year 

 a remarkable change has taken place, and today Germany is next 

 to England the largest wood importer in the world, with over 4500 

 thousand tons excess over exports, worth over 75 million dollars, 

 an increase of 10% per annum in the average for the last 40 years, 

 (or, compounding, at the rate of over 4%) while the population 

 increased only 38% during the whole period. Even the fuel wood 

 consumption in Germany has not decreased in proportion to the 

 coal consumption, for from 1872 to 1896 the latter increased 103% , 

 while the fuel wood consumption decreased only 18%, 



All of which goes to show that a higher civilization and in- 

 creased industrial activity make more demand for such a service- 

 able material as wood. In spite of substitutions, new uses arise 

 to keep up the demand. And we in the United States who in the 

 sight of plenty are not wont to save, will probably continue to 

 increase our per capita consumption for some time at least at the 

 rate of Germany. 



How are these increasing demands to be supplied ? When we 

 have used up our own stores, are there any others to draw on ? 



Here we must first of all make a sharp distinction between the 

 kinds of wood that are needed for use in the arts. 



Some years ago the writer was taken to task by one of the 

 lumber trade journals for asserting that the consumption of co- 

 niferous ' softwood ' material represented ^ of the total lumber 

 wood consumption, to which the pines contributed to the extent 

 of 50%. The present Census brings out precisely this proportion, 

 except that if the pulpwood is added, the importance of the conif- 

 erous material is still further accentuated. 



The relative importance of the different species is for the first 

 time more fully and very satisfactorily brought out by the Census, 

 permitting the following tabulation : 



