Il6 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Stood in Western countries, had its first real beginning with the 

 inauguration, in January 1916, of the Chinese Forest Service in 

 the Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce. Mr Chow-Tzu-chi, 

 recently Minister of Agriculture and Commerce, must be given 

 principal credit for taking a step which, unless unforeseen 

 contingencies intervene, or unless future obstacles are placed 

 in the way, cannot fail to have an extraordinarily wide 

 and permanent effect upon the welfare of the Chinese people 

 from very many points of view. It was due to his foresight, 

 patriotism, and frank recognition of what was necessary to meet 

 an admitted economic need that the Forest Service owes its 

 existence. As Minister of Agriculture and Commerce, he 

 submitted, on 22nd December 19 15, a memorial to the 

 President, requesting authorisation to organise a " National 

 Forest Service " in the Ministry ; and a favourable reply was 

 promulgated on 3rd January 1916. The Forest Service thus 

 created was entrusted with the supervision or execution of all 

 Governmental work in forestry, and with the encouragement of 

 private enterprise along similar lines. At the head of the 

 Service is the Minister of Agriculture and Commerce. The 

 Vice-Minister is ex-officio director-general. The Adviser in 

 Forestry also acts as one of the two co-directors, the other 

 being a Chinese (Mr Ngan Han), who had obtained technical 

 education in forestry in the United States. There are several 

 other technically trained Chinese in the Service as well as an 

 English forest expert (Mr William Purdom), who serves as the 

 chief of one of the six divisions into which the Service is 

 organised. 



General Policy. 



The general policy which the Forest Service has adopted 

 may be expressed as follows : — 



1. To lessen the present scarcity and high price of timber, 

 fuel, and other forest products of all kinds by the judicious 

 reforestation of public lands unfit for agriculture and now lying 

 wholly or partially idle, thereby lessening the industrial handicap 

 under which the Chinese manufacturer, farmer, and house- 

 holder labour at present, and increasing the comfort and raising 

 the standard of living among all classes, particularly the 

 middle class and the poor. 



2. To regulate stream-flow by the reforestation of the more 



