CONTINENTAL NOTES — FRANCE. 69 



are, according to M. Perrin (in the Bulletin trimesiriel de 

 Franche Conite et Belfort), 14,820,000 acres under forest, and 

 as much as 61,750,000 acres of unproductive land, in Norway. 

 The treatment of the forest area leaves, it is believed, much to 

 be desired, and in the waste country endless afforestation is 

 possible and desirable, especially along the bare west coast. 

 And for Norway the forest is the great asset. This having been 

 perceived a society has, during the last dozen years, sprung up 

 under the leadership of Axel Heiberg, and has spread itself 

 over the whole of Norway. The Government has recognised 

 its value, and assists it more and more each year. The 

 constitution of the society appears to be rather complicated, 

 but it is most effective. Besides extending forest knowledge 

 in a variety of ways, it subscribes to afforestation work by 

 private individuals and communes (which are not. in Norway, 

 obliged to have their forests managed by the State), and 

 although it must of course impose certain rules in regard to 

 the spending of its subscriptions, more and more people come 

 to it for assistance, both in advice and money. From its 

 foundation to 191 1 the society brought about the afforestation 

 of between 54,000 and 55,000 acres with 88,000,000 plants 

 and 4 tons of seed, and has drained over 32,000 acres with 

 2728 miles of ditches. Apart from these direct results is also 

 the great effect produced, in a right direction, throughout the 

 nation and on the Government. 



XIV. The floods of the Seine, which caused such trouble in 

 Paris in 1910, gave rise to a great deal of discussion, many 

 holding that more forest was needed in the basin of the river, 

 and others saying that forests were of little use. M. Viney, an 

 Inspector of Forests, says that in point of fact the part of the 

 basin of the Seine which lies above Paris (nearly 12,000,000 

 acres) is wooded to the extent of 4,200,000 acres nearly, and is 

 certainly the best wooded basin in France. At the same time 

 the cause of afforestation has been supported by bad arguments. 

 There are plenty of good arguments for it, but it is a mistake to 

 claim for it impossibilities. It can do a great deal, but it is not 

 an absolute panacea. M. Viney traces with great ability the 

 action of water on the soil, and that of forests in connection 

 with it. It is recognised that near large forests the air is cooler 

 in summer, and damper and nearer saturation point at all 

 seasons, than in open country. The Research Station of Nancy 



