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this rainfall, and the prevalent vegetation which it 

 caused, preserved from destruction the rich humus 

 with which our land was covered ; and, lastly, because 

 the Gulf Stream moderated our climate. Scotland 

 was richer in forests than this country, having about 

 1,000,000 acres, or one-twentieth of its total acreage, 

 under forests. Nevertheless, despite the efforts of 

 Scotch arboriculturists and public-spirited men gene- 

 rally ; that million of acres was being slowly reduced. 

 When he was at the meeting of the Scotch Arbori- 

 cultural Society at Edinburgh, two years ago, it was 

 stated that only about three-quarters of a million of 

 acres of forests remained. Sir Richard Temple gave 

 the results of his observation during recent travels as 

 far as it bore upon forestry. In the South of Norway, 

 and throughout Sweden, the forests were preserved 

 in the most patriotic manner for the augmentation of 

 the national wealth. In Germany and Western Prance, 

 also, forests formed a profitable part of the national 

 material possessions. In Southern France, Italy and 

 Spain, however, tourists could not fail to note the 

 reckless destruction of forests which had taken place. 

 If a forest was destroyed twenty other things disap- 

 peared with it ; but the most disastrous effect was 

 that destruction of forests entailed long periods of 

 drought, followed by those excessive inundations which 

 had of late been so common in certain parts of Europe. 

 In Russia, too, reckless and unscientific falling of 

 ^orest trees was very frequent. Russia was naturally 



