224 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Nearly three-fifths of this came from Canada, Russia, and 

 Sweden. The bulk of the wood was coniferous, which can 

 be grown in any temperate climate. The number of loads of 

 pit-props imported in 1901 was 1,897,810, and the number 

 of sleepers required annually for renewals along our railway 

 lines is estimated at 3,750,000. The quantity of home-grown 

 timber used in Gi'eat Britain and Ireland is estimated at 

 2,000,000 tons, so that the home production is only about one- 

 sixth of the total consumption. The demand for timber shows a 

 steady increase, and as new uses for it are constantly being dis- 

 covered, the demand will no doubt continue to increase even more 

 rapidly in the future than in the past. For example, the im- 

 portation of pulp of wood for paper-making is a comparatively 

 new development, and last year the quantity imported (not in- 

 cluded in the above figures) amounted to 525,799 tons, valued at 

 £2,398,215. 



The price of timber is also increasing at a rate that cannot 

 fail soon to be seriously felt. Ten years ago (1892) our imports 

 were 7,842,382 tons, valued at .£18,470,969, being an average 

 of £2*35 per ton, and, as already stated, last year the total 

 was 9,896,688 tons, or an average of £2"78 per ton. Whilst 

 thei-e is this steadily increasing consumption to be provided 

 for, foreign sources of supply are falling off. The total im- 

 ports into European countries show a considerable excess over 

 exports. In Canada and the United States of America huge 

 forests have been cut down in a most wasteful manner by the 

 lumbermen and settlers. The havoc done has at last attracted 

 the attention of the Governments, and steps are being taken to 

 ensure better control in the future. 



The Government of the United States has commenced experi- 

 mental planting in the San Gabriel, San Bernardino, and San 

 Jacinto forest reserves in Southern California, which are estimated 

 by the United States Geological Survey to contain 1,447,000 acres 

 of brush land, upon which all valuable timber has been destroyed 

 by fire. Since the reserves were established, the danger from fire 

 has been so reduced, by a vigorous patrol system, that a large pro- 

 portion of the brush land is now safe enough to warrant planting. 

 Two or three years experimental work has developed economical 

 and rather rapid methods of planting, and during the past season 

 the planting has been extended over several hundred acres by a 

 field party of the Bureau of Forestry. 



