APPROACHING DEARTH OF TIMBER 



entering extensively, as it does, into almost 

 every trade and industry. For England, 

 therefore, with an ever-increasing import, the 

 possibility of a dearth of timber must be 

 regarded with the keenest anxiety, more par- 

 ticularly as such would entail prohibitive 

 prices and seriously cripple the trade of the 

 country. The following table, as reported 

 to the Washington Bureau of Manufactures, 

 will show at a glance the annual imports of 

 timber of the principal countries of Europe : 



England ... ... 16,342,600 cubic yards 



Germany ... ... 11,766,667 



France ... ... 8,496,300 



Belgium 1,897,777 



Italy ... ... 915,148 



Denmark ... ... 849,630 



Spain ... ... 392,222 



Switzerland ... 313,778 



In face of this it is only reasonable, 

 therefore, to suppose that the Government 

 should act promptly in the matter, remem- 

 bering that no scheme of afforesting, however 

 extensive or well ordered, can bring the neces- 

 sary relief for at least forty years after its 



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