Forest Administration in China 581 



tion into the general agricultural and forest conditions in China 

 by sending out circular letters to the Industrial Commissioners 

 of the various provinces, requesting them to give the desired in- 

 formation. As the project was started rather recently, only 

 three provinces replied so far. Among them two provinces 

 have established tree nurseries and have started planting on waste 

 lands. The spread of the popularity of reforestation by artificial 

 planting is here quite evident. 



Another case of interest is the colonization work at Nanking, 

 conducted by Mr. Joseph Bailey. It was originally a famine-relief 

 project conceived by Mr. Bailey, by which project a famine- 

 stricken people were taken to Nanking to reforest the foothills of 

 the Purple Mountain. This work was admired and highly com- 

 mented on by the government. Lands, contributions, and general 

 support, both from governmental and private sources, have been 

 given him to extend the work on a larger scale. 



These desultory efforts in reforestation do not indicate any- 

 thing beyond the growing interest in the matter of forestry. They 

 are, however, straws that show the direction of the wind. In- 

 stead of a passive indifference toward the welfare of the forest 

 as in the former days, an active interest and enthusiasm in the 

 practice of forestry is beginning to leaven the whole country. 



The reforestation work in China is a gigantic task. In view of 

 the vastness of the country and the depleted forest conditions, it 

 is easily greater than all the reboisement work either accomplished 

 or contemplated in Switzerland, France and Austria. But the 

 work should be faced, squarely and boldly. The rising genera- 

 tion should see that this growing interest be energized, widened 

 and systematized so that success will be our final reward. 



Physical Conditions of the Countryr 



Occupying a central and important part of the eastern hemi- 

 sphere and lying between 20° and 53° North Latitude and 74° and 

 134° Longitude east of Greenwich, China is, in position and in 

 extent, comparable to the United States. Topographically speak- 

 ing, however, there is a great difference. The great mountain 

 ranges and the great rivers in China generally run in an east and 



' See also article by R. Rosenbluth, F. Q., vol. X, pp. 647-672. 



