THE OUTLOOK OF THE WORLD'S TIMBER SUPPLY. 371 



Before dealing with these countries I propose to devote a few 

 minutes to inquire whether other sources are available. The only 

 countries which we need at all consider are Asiatic Russia, Central 

 Africa, and South America. The first of these three is a big 

 country, it contains extensive areas which are classed as wood- 

 lands ; but a great part of the country is practically situated beyond 

 the limit of profitable tree-growth, while other extensive areas are 

 plains without forest. Supposing, however, that there is a surplus 

 of production for export, the cost of transport would be practically 

 prohibitive. The outlets by water are towards the North Polar 

 Sea, involving exceedingly difficult navigation, and if transported 

 by land towards the west, the distance would be very great. It is, 

 however, not impossible that any surplus timber might hereafter 

 go towards China. 



Africa has a belt of wooded country along or near the west coast, 

 which furnishes us, as already stated, with a limited quantity of 

 valuable hardwoods ; but from all I can learn the great central 

 forest will, as regards a source of timber supply for Europe, remain 

 without much value. A brisk trade in caoutchouc has sprung up, 

 but the timbers are not of the kind which we require in Europe in 

 large quantities, apart from the cost of transport to the coast. 

 Matters are similar in South America. Vast forests are said to 

 exist in Brazil and in parts of Argentina, but, as far as we know 

 at present, they contain only hardwoods of any commercial value, 

 of which we have as yet a sufficient supply at lower rates nearer 

 home. At any rate, the cost of transport and labour seems to be 

 so high that Argentina at any rate prefers importing its timber 

 from North America and the Baltic rather than get it from her 

 own forests. Possibly the forest wealth of South America may 

 hereafter play a part in the supply of timber, but I believe that 

 that time is far distant. 



I now come to the most important part of my subject, namely, 

 the position which the United States of America and Canada take 

 in the timber supply of the world. 



The United States of America. 



It will be remembered that I have put down the net expoi't of 



late years as equal to 1,020,000 tons. This is an estimate derived 



from the values. The latest return issued by the Bureau of 



Statistics, Treasury Department, Washington, entitled "The 



VOL. xvi. part in. 2 c 



