g6 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



12. Forestry in Japan. 



An interesting account of the progress in forestry made by 

 the Japanese is found in a little book which has just been 

 issued by the Bureau of Forestry at Tokyo, Its 127 pages are 

 written in English, and they are accompanied by twelve full- 

 page illustrations, while an appendix gives the coinage, weights 

 and measures of Japan, with their British equivalents. 



From the book we learn that attempts at exploitation were 

 made as early as the beginning of the ninth century, and that 

 from the middle of the seventeenth century considerable attention 

 has been devoted to the protection and administration of the 

 forests, which contain about 600 species, some scores of them 

 being of economic value. But, as might be expected, there has 

 been much reckless felling of trees and consequent reduction of 

 the forest-covered area, the present extent of which is estimated 

 to be as follows : — 



This area, which represents 67 per cent, of the total area of 

 Japan, including Formosa and Sagalien, comprises 3545 square 

 miles of Protection forests. In addition to the above there are 

 waste lands, a portion of which will ultimately become forest, 

 and which are thus owned : — 



By the State .... 1544 sq. miles. 



By the Imperial household . . 525 ,, 

 By temples, public bodies, and 



private proprietors . . 6473 ,, 



Total, 8542 



A Temporary Forest Regulation was issued in 1875 ; another 

 Regulation, concerning demarcation, appeared in 1884; and a 

 Special Forest Law was passed in 1899. But the first serious 

 attempt at systematic working was not made until 1890, when 

 the demarcation and survey of the State forests was commenced. 



