Periodical Literature. 489 



tries, especially Germany, although appearing very thrifty in the 

 early stages, usually die at an age of from twenty to thirty years. 

 Large quantities of pine seed were imported from German seed 

 firms during the decade i860 to 1870, and considerable quantities 

 were imported in the years following this period. So universally 

 disastrous were the results from this seed that in 1886 steps were 

 taken by members of the Riksdag to place a prohibitive tariff 

 upon imported pine seeds. In 1888 the Riksdag decided upon a 

 moderate tariff of 50 ore (about 13 cents) per kg. for pine and 

 spruce as well as all other forest seeds. 



In the discussion preceding the adoption of this tariff, in- 

 stances are cited where extensive pine plantations from twenty to 

 twenty-five years old present a very unpromising appearance 

 while adjoining stands from native seed are healthy and vigorous. 

 No conclusive facts are advanced against the use of foreign spruce 

 seed, but spruce is included in the tariff as a measure of precau- 

 tion. 



Despite the tariff, the importation of pine and spruce seed in- 

 creased at a rapid rate during the following decade, with the 

 result that in 1898 the tariff on pine was raised 3 kr. (about 80 

 cents) per kg. while the tariff on spruce was raised to 1.5 kr. 

 (about 40 cents) per kg. In the discussion over the adoption of 

 this increased tariff, reference is made to the occurrence of large 

 areas of pine plantations grown from German seed in different 

 parts of the country which died at an age of twenty to thirty 

 years, and which, upon investigation, proved to be infested by a 

 fungus disease heretofore unknown in Sweden, and evidently in- 

 troduced with the German seed. As a result of this experience, 

 the Government prescribed that in all state forests, only Swedish 

 seed should be used. 



In practice the tariff was extended to all seeds in the names of 

 which the words "pine" or "spruce" entered, thus covering a great 

 many species of Pinus, Picea and Abies. Vigorous protests were 

 entered by forest men, on the ground that there was no reason 

 for imposing the tax upon anything but the ordinary pine and 

 spruce {Pinus silvestris and Picea abies), but that on the con- 

 trary the introduction of many of these trees should be en- 

 couraged. The Riksdag, however, finally decided to retain the 

 tax, on the ground that new foreign seeds whose adaptability was 



