362 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



The net imports have fluctuated, but there has practically been 

 no increase during the last thirty-five years. The mean annual 

 quantity imported during the last five years amounts to 1,230,000 

 tons. The imports come from Austria-Hungary, Sweden, Nor- 

 way, Germany, Russia, North America, and Switzerland. The 

 production of the French forests is given as follows : — 



Timber, 4,200,000 tons. 



Firewood, 14,000,000 ,, 



Total production, . 18,200,000 tons. 



The excessive proportion of firewood is due to the preponderance 

 of coppice-woods, and coppice with standards. 



Belgium. 



Tons. Value. 



Net imports in 1898, 1,020,000 £4,100,000 



Mean annual increase in net imports since 1865, 22,000 



Mean annual increase during the lust ten years, . 44,000 



Mean annual increase in 1899, .... 80,000 



Other Importing Countries. 



The increase in other European countries is comparatively small. 

 The net imports of Switzerland have, during the last ten years, 

 increased by about 17,000 tons a year, and those of Denmark by 

 20,000 tons. In all other countries together, the net increase may 

 be placed at about 20,000 tons a year, or a total of 57,000 tons. 



Summary of all Importing Countries. 



The total annual increase in net imports of all European 

 countries of late years stands as follows : — 



Tons. 



Great Britain and Ireland, 332,000 



Germany, 167,000 



Belgium, 44,000 



Other European countries, say ..... 57,000 



Total annual increase, . 600,000 



If the same rate of increase lasts for another ten years, an addi- 

 tional 0,000,000 tons will be required in 1910. 



