Periodical Literature 65 



An article by Dr. J. F. Clarke, Provincial 

 Woodland Forester for Ontario, discusses the theory 



Taxation of woodland taxation with especial refer- 



ence to conditions in Canada. 

 The effect of including the value of standing timber with that 

 of the soil in assessing woodlands in private ownership for taxa- 

 tion purposes, is shown in the system of clean- cutting that has 

 prevailed, followed by the abandonment of the ruined tracts to 

 the state through non-payment of taxes. 



The inequity of levying an annual tax upon forest property, 

 the return from which is periodic, at the same rate as that levied 

 on agricultural lands, yielding an annual return, is set forth, and 

 a table is given, showing in percentic values the proportionate tax- 

 ation which woodlands, yielding periodic crops, can bear as com- 

 pared with agricultural lands of similar net producing capacity. 

 The table follows, column i giving rotations from 40 to 100 years, 

 and columns 2, 3 and 4 giving percentages according as money 

 is valued at 4, 5 or 6% per annum. 



Rotation 4% 5% 6% 



40 years 42.1 331 24.9 



50 " 328 239 16.5 



60 " 25.2 170 10.7 



70 " 19.2 IJ.9 6 8 



80 " 145 83 4.3 



90 " 109 57 2.7 



100 " 8.1 39 1.6 



Thus, if the rotation be 60 years and money worth 5%, the 

 rate of taxation upon woodlands should be 17% of that upon farm 

 lands. 



The method of disposing of timber upon public lands has re- 

 sulted in a constantly increasing devastation of the forest area. 



Timber on the public lands of the different Canadian provinces 

 is disposed of under some form of lease or license. Payment for 

 timber cut under these leases is in the form of : 



( I ) . ' 'Stumpage dues' ' , at some fixed rate per M. , usually only 

 a small percentage of the actual value ; these dues are paid on 

 the amount of material removed, at the time of logging. Pay- 

 ment in this form tends toward conservative lumbering ; and the 

 higher the dues, the more careful is the lumberman not to cut any 

 material whose stumpage value is less than the rate to be paid. 



(2) " Ground rent," of so much per square mile per annum, 



