TIIK PARANA PINE FORESTS OF P.RAZIL 155 



per cent of the stand of this story and nearly all of the i)resent cut. 

 Scattered specimens of a number of other species occur in this story, 

 among which are Cedro (Ccdrcla sp.), a number of Leguminosae, Big- 

 noniacese. Alyrtacese, and members of other familes. In places a i)alm 

 gives a tropical tone to the story. The second story is composed of a 

 large number of species which, when mature, will reach a height of 

 between 30 and 60 feet, the composition of which is little known, though 

 members of the Laurace?e and Myrtaceae seem to predominate. It is 

 l)erhaps more complex than the third story. The first story, or base, 

 is from 10 to 30 feet in height. A tree fern, a bamboo, and the famous 

 Brazilian tea {Ilex paragucnsis) are the characteristic trees of this 

 story, but there are many others. Of course, in the lower stories there 

 are immature trees of the story or stories above them. A botanical 

 survey of the forest might show 50 or more species per acre, but the 

 point to be made here is that the upper stories are simpler than those 

 below them, and the top story contains only one species. 



The above is the description of the forest where I had an opportunity 

 to study it closely. Toward the north and northwest the composition 

 changes. Gradually the hardwoods, represented usually by dififerent 

 species, become taller and the pines become shorter, until the tops of 

 the pines and hardwood intermingle. Finally, the pines drop out alto- 

 gether. To the south, as the drier regions of central Rio Grande are 

 reached, the pine holds its relative position, though lower in stature ; 

 but some distance beyond its limits a hardwood forest, 50 to 70 feet in 

 height, prevails, especially along streams. Finally, the prairie, or 

 campos, is reached. So much for the structure of the forest. Let us 

 now consider the extent to which these different stories are utilized. 



Take the upper story first. In 191 3 the estimated output of Parana 

 pine was about 60 million feet. From figures I collected the output 

 has greatly increased, and today certainly reaches 150 million feet or 

 more. This rapid increase is due in part to the normal growth of the 

 lumber industry, but mostly because Brazil. Argentina, and Uruguay 

 have been cut ofif from supplies of coniferous timbers from temperature 

 regions, due to the war. Before the war these three countries in ques- 

 tion used, in round numbers. 700 million feet of lumber, 500 million of 

 which was imported from the United States and Europe, mostly south- 

 ern yellow pine. To meet this demand, the total home production of 

 both hardwoods and pine is estimated to have doubled, but still falls 

 short by 300 million feet of the normal consumption. The greatest 

 increase has been in the Parana pine region, where the production has 

 nearly trebled. It is known that if the railways had sufficient rolling 

 stock to carry the output, the lumber industry of this region has de- 



