FOREST CONDITIONS IN WEST PERSIA 717 



sometimes allowed to grow much larger, and reaches great size. The 

 beautiful avenue of the College Compound of the American Mission in 

 Urumia contains trees over 100 feet high and three feet through on 

 the stump, but for the most part the plane is not allowed to get 

 so large. 



4. The Bhn. A smalHeaved species of elm is found, used only 

 very occasionally, and then only for purposes requiring a tough wood. 

 Very little elm wood is used. It is grown singly or in little woodlots, 

 periodically watered and cut before attaining great size. Elms are not 

 often seen except in front of mosques or as ornamental trees in'gardens 

 of the wealthy. 



5. The Walnut. The Persian walnut, miscalled the English walnut, 

 grows naturally in Persia, it being close to the optimum range of the 

 tree. It is used for its nuts and little lumber of this species is seen, 

 although it can be found. Fancy woodwork of any kind, and there is 

 very little of that, is about its only use, although some of it gets into 

 fuelwood occasionally. 



' In addition to the proceeding timber trees in general use, a number 

 of other species are to be found here and there in gardens. A cedar, 

 imported from Teheran, the capital of Persia, an oak from the country 

 south of Lake Urumia, honey locust, American black walnut, both 

 brought in by the missionaries, box elder, maple, horse chestnut, a 

 blue spruce and acacia are all present, but of course always under 

 irrigation. The wood of none of these appears on the market. 



A third hopeful sign, unseen by the author, but heard of from most 

 reliable sources, is the presence of some actual forest growth located 

 in at least two general sections of the country. A trip was contem- 

 plated to one of these natural forests but circumstances prevented. 



A final hopeful sign, and by no means the least hopeful, is the 

 breaking down of some of the religious bigotry of the Moslems and 

 a looking to better things from America and Europe by all classes, 

 races, and creeds. This is markedly noticeable among the young 

 men educated in the mission schools. The idea of reforesting the 

 country was seriously brought up to the author by one man who had 

 been appointed as a commissioner of agriculture and forestry by the 

 Shah. Nothing had actually been done, but the incident revealed the 

 fact that the idea of forestry has seeped through even to that far-oflf 

 corner of the earth. 



