382 ECONOMIC FORESTRY. 
XVIII. Heonomiec Forestry. By Professor G, 8S. Bouncer, 
London. 
INTRODUCTION. 
The most scientific department of the art of forestry is un- 
doubtedly the maintenance and reproduction of woodland for pur- 
poses of profit. In spite of the enormously extended use of iron 
for purposes of construction, and of purely chemical substances for 
tanning, dyeing, etc., the products of the forest meet us at every 
turn, no matter in what quarter of the globe, or amid what race of 
men, we may find ourselves. In our northern temperate latitudes 
timber, bark, charcoal, and coniferous resins are the main staple of 
the forester ; but within the tropics a multiplicity of other sub- 
stances—dyes, gums, and food-stuffs—become of an importance, 
economically speaking, hardly second to that of the timber, and 
the forest-conservator may often be as much interested in the pre- 
servation of a mere shrub, as in that of the largest tree. Con- 
siderations of space, however, enforce the limitation of the present 
essay to the subject of timber-trees, though their subsidiary pro- 
ducts have been noted en passant. 
The importance of a “ stock-taking” of the timber-resources of 
the world will be generally conceded. An acquaintance with the 
valuable trees of any country will be an important step, both 
towards their preservation from wanton extermination, and towards 
their introduction into other countries, which may happen to be 
under similar climatic conditions. Such an acquaintance it is, 
however, unfortunately, by no means easy to obtain. Timber is 
too often obtained from the less known or accessible parts of 
countries, but partially explored by skilled botanists ; whilst it is 
brought to the port of shipment without flowers, fruit, leaves, or 
even bark and sapwood, and under native names which often serve 
only to mislead. When we note the extreme ignorance often 
manifested as to trees, their names and natures, even by dwellers 
in the country, among the civilised communities of Europe, we 
cannot be surprised if Burmese convicts in the Andaman Islands, 
Australian natives, or the half-savage Indians of Guiana make 
mistakes as to the identity of species. It is much to be desired 
that the governments of every country should take steps for the 
botanical identification of their various vegetable productions. 
With regard to trees the system required is that logs of each 
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