no transactions of royal scottish arboricultural society. 



The Timber Trade of Eastern Siberia. 



A " Report on the Lumber Industry in the Russian Far East," 

 by Mr Vice-Consul Hodgson, has been issued as a Parliamentary 

 White Paper [Cd. 3728-6]. The account which Mr Hodgson 

 gives of the forests of the Amur region and the prospects of 

 their commercial development is of substantial interest, as the 

 world is now beginning to realise the threatened inadequacy 

 of its timber supply, and to take careful stock of the chief 

 productive areas remaining. Comparatively little attention has, 

 so far, been paid to the utilisation of the forests in the Russian 

 Far East, though concessions have been sporadically worked, 

 and an Australian and a British company have lately been 

 included among those which have acquired concessions from the 

 Russian Government. According to the estimate of the Forest 

 Department, the Amur and Maritime provinces contain 

 509,000,000 acres of forest land. It is by no means so densely 

 timbered, however, as the forests of North America. Both 

 hard and soft woods are found in considerable variety ; the 

 latter include white cedar, pine, larch, fir, and spruce, and the 

 former walnut, ash, and oak. 



The right to cut timber on a large scale may be obtained 

 either by way of concession for a term of years or by contract. 

 Recent concessions have been granted for four years only (this 

 being the maximum that the Governor-General can accord), with 

 an extra year for taking away the timber felled. Though this 

 period can be extended on application, yet it is generally re- 

 cognised that it is too short, and efforts, which appear likely to 

 prove successful, are now being made to have the regulations on 

 the subject altered and a longer term allowed. Areas which 

 the Government desires to sell are from time to time put up to 

 auction either at Vladivostok or at Khabarovsk, the terms and 

 conditions being published beforehand. They are adjudged to 

 the highest bidder, who is required to pay down the equivalent 

 of the royalty for one year on the number of trees put up to 

 auction, a certain portion of the forest being allotted for each 

 year of the currency of the agreement. Moreover, in the case 

 of felling rights obtained by auction, as well as those obtained 

 in the form of a concession, some money deposit is generally 

 insisted upon. Felling tickets may also be obtained from 

 the local forest officials, giving the right to cut small quantities 

 of timber on payment of the Government royalty. 



