384 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



XXVII. Insufficiency of the World's Timber Supply. 1 



Mons. Melard, Inspector of Forests in the service of the 

 French Republic, thus concludes his recent work on the above 

 subject : — 



This long review of the forest resources of our globe leaves a 

 feeling of sadness almost amounting to anguish. It is sad to 

 think of so much wealth gone for ever, dissipated by the careless- 

 ness and greed of men, when care and due protection would have 

 preserved and improved it. These riches have profited little to 

 those who have squandered them. Forest destruction, however 

 profitable to contractors, dealers, and carriers, seldom leaves 

 much profit to the landowner. The price of wood sold in distant 

 markets consists of 90 or 95 per cent, for costs of felling, trans- 

 port, wages, etc., and 10 per cent., or only 5 per cent, or less, for 

 the owner. 



There is cause for serious anxiety in the fact that 215 millions 

 of people — the most advanced and powerful nations of Europe in 

 commerce and industry — cannot find timber to meet their needs 

 within their territories. Oulside Europe, ancient empires like 

 China, equally with young and unlicked cubs like South Africa, 

 Argentina, Australia, etc., have alike to face a serious and grow- 

 ing deficit of wood-production. 



There are but seven countries at present able to supply large 

 quantities of timber. Five are in Europe, viz., Austria-Hungary, 

 Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Russia; two are in North 

 America, viz., Canada and the United States. 



It has been shown that the available sui'plus of Austria- 

 Hungary, of Russia, and of the United States is seriously 

 threatened by increase of population and by industrial develop- 

 ment, and that of Norway by the abuse of the axe. There 

 remain only three sources of supply in which confidence can 

 be placed for yet a little time. These are Sweden, Finland, and 

 Canada. 



They are absolutely and hopelessly insufficient. 

 If Sweden, Finland, and Canada were to attempt to supply 

 all the countries which reach out their hands for timber, 



1 Translation by F. Gleadow, I.F.S., F.E.M.S., of " L'insuffisance de la 

 production des bois d'ceuvre dans le Monde," par A. Melard, Inspecteur des 

 Eaux et Forets (from the Indian Forester, September 1901). 



