REVIEWS 369 



tion percentage of the seed and unsatisfactory development of the 

 seedlings and transplants in the nursery. All this goes to make the 

 average cost of a plantation of 3-year-old trees $22 per acre, which 

 is excessive. Sowing has always proved a failure. 



In the appendix are given (1) volume tables, from which are 

 lacking data on type, elevation and date at which measurements 

 were taken; (2) merchantable length and d.i.b. of top log by diam- 

 eter classes, given in a separate table; (3) a key for the microscopic 

 identification of the woods of the important white pines, which really 

 shows the great similarity in structure of the different woods and 

 the real impossibility of distinguishing them except by a familiarity 

 with their general external appearance, gained by constant handling 

 of them; and (4) an excellent statement of the grades into which 

 sugar pine lumber is cut, a feature which should be repeated in other 

 tree studies. 



C. E. B. 



Lumber Markets of the Medifei'ranean Region and the Near 

 Bast. By R. Zon. Miscellaneous Series, No. 51, Department of 

 Commerce. Contribution from Bureau of Foreign and Domestic 

 Commerce. Washington, D. C. 1917. Pp. 31. 



This compilation was conceived as a contribution toward pre- 

 paredness for post-bellum trade ; it brings information regarding not 

 only the exports and imports of the various countries bordering on the 

 Mediterranean, but also, briefly, references to their forest conditions 

 and trade customs. 



It is open to question whether encouragement to increased wood 

 export, as this publication plainly has in view, is a patriotic undertak- 

 ing from the forester's point of view. We hold that, if an outlet for 

 poor grades could be found, it would be a help toward making forestry 

 practice possible ; but this oceanwise export, we fear, can only increase 

 the utilization of our best grades. It is quite clear that with a $10 and 

 $12 freight rate from United States ports to Mediterranean ports, as 

 against $3.35 to $5 rates from competing countries, the United States 

 exports can be only of superior values; indeed, they consist chiefly of 

 longleaf pine and oak cooperage materials. • 



The question arises whether altogether from a patriotic point of 

 view the export of raw materials or, indeed, of any wood materials 

 is to be encouraged. Have we not reached that point, with our limited 



