notes and queries. 23 1 



Influence of Forests on Climate. 



The influence of forests upon climate was the subject of 

 discussion at the Annual Meeting of the German Meteorological 

 Society in Berlin recently. The conclusion reached assigned 

 much less influence to the forests than has been hitherto assumed. 

 Professor Schubert, of Gottingen, gave a summary of the results of 

 his four years' observation at Prussian forestry stations through- 

 out the extended wooded region of the north-western part of 

 Brandenburg. Two observations were taken daily at numerous 

 points within the forests, in clearings and other points. The 

 result was that from the minimum variations of temperature 

 and humidity in the forests, and at more remote points, it was 

 concluded that the forests had no appreciable influence upon the 

 rainfall and general climate. — The Timber News and Saiv-mill 

 Engineer, May 28, 1904. 



The Uses of Wood in Japan. • 



A very large majority of Japanese houses, both in town 

 and country, are built entirely of wood, with tiled roofs. The 

 timber used is mainly coniferous — red pine for the poorer class, 

 and Cryptomeria and Thuya where the more valuable kind of 

 timber is required. In the rural districts the roofing is often 

 of bark, especially that of C?ypfomeria. 



The woodwork is simple, and, except in the north, very 

 neat and artistic, and often beautifully polished. Strange to 

 say, it is almost all done by hand, there being only some five 

 or six saw-mills in the country. Much of the best woodwork 

 of large dimensions is seen in the numerous Buddhist and 

 Shinto temples, where large beams and pillars of Cryptomeria 

 -and Zelkowa are to be seen. 



Among some of the other principal uses of wood, barrel staves 

 are split in the forest from pine and Cryptomeria, matches are 

 made in Kobe from wood from private forests, tea-boxes, now 

 being largely exported to Ceylon, and chopsticks are made 

 of the wood of Abies fir ma. Shingles are also largely turned 

 out. Little paper pulp is made at present, paper being prepared 

 chiefly from mulberry bark and straw. Charcoal is burnt from 



