NOTES 953 



Adkin, reviews interestingly the muddle in whicli the existing laws 

 relating to forestry are. dating to the Middle Ages, when no trees but 

 oak, ash, and elm were defined as "timber." and silvicultural methods 

 were undeveloped. These laws will have to be abolished before a plant- 

 ing campaign by private owners, which the writer advocates, can be 

 successfully inaugurated. Loans to would-be planters and arrange- 

 ments "whereby such planters will not lose by doing so" (how?) are 

 advocated. 



'JMie (|uantity of peat sold in the I'nited States in kjij exceeded that 

 sold in any preceding year. There were sold 97,363 short tons — a 

 quantit}- greater by 44,857 tons than that sold in 1916 and by 42,220 

 tons than the record annual sales established in i(;i 1. The gross mar- 

 ket value of the output was $709,900 — a gain over 1916 of $340,796, or 

 about 92 per cent in market value. The average price received in 191 7 

 at the point of consumption was a little more than $7.29 a ton. The 

 total number of plants producing peat in 1917 was 18 — an increase of 

 5 over 191 6. Improvements designed to increase production in 1918 

 were made to substantial!}- all the peat plants operated in 191 7. The 

 plants known to be at work in 1917 were distributed as follows: Cali- 

 fornia 2, Florida 2, Illinois 2. Indiana i, Massachusetts 1. X'ew Jerse\ 

 5. New York 3, Pennsylvania 1. and X'irginia i. 



The reconstruction of forests in France is not only being discussed, 

 but has been actively begun. F'.Vdministration des Eaux et Forets is 

 already enlarging its nurseries in view of the extensive planting pro- 

 gram which will have to be taken up immcdiatcl}- after peace is de- 

 clared. The latest development in this direction is the formation of 

 the Societe Forestiere du Rouergue, with a capital of $40,000. an asso- 

 ciation of gentlemen for the purpose of buying up or acquiring other- 

 wise waste lands for reforestation. The association has already ac- 

 quired one area of 500 acres, or thereabouts, paying for it $2,000. The 

 administration will, of course, advance the objects of the association as 

 far as possible. 



The fact that American w oodturning plants which f(trmerl\ turned 

 out these products are now engaged almost entirely on war work has 

 given the Canadian industry a great opportunity for expansion and a 

 fair amount of export business, especially in wooden knitting needles, 

 parts for dolls, and turned toy parts. Wooden no.se plugs for shells. 



