! 



area of land under trees in Europe. With imports banned and timber 

 famine in prospect, for others as well as ourselves, it is interesting 

 to compare our own woodland areas with those of our Allies and the 

 enemy countries. Before the Departmental Commission on Irish 

 Forestry in 1908 trustworthy figures were given as to the percentages 

 of land occupied by forests in the following countries : 



England 5.3 



Scotland 4.6 



Wales 3.9 



Ireland 1.5 



France 17.0 



Belgium 17.3 



Germany 25.9 



Hungary 27.5 



Austria 32.6 



"The extent and value of our imports may be best judged by 

 913, the last normal year. During that year approximately 559,- 

 00,000 cubic feet of hewn, sawn and planed timber, valued at 

 150,000,000 were imported. In addition 19,900,000 cubic feet of 

 urniture wood, valued at $14,000,000 were also imported, bringing 

 the total value of the imported wood up to $164,000,000. 



"The curious thing is that before the war, Germany, notwith- 

 standing her immense, well-managed, and profitable state forests, 

 carefully conserved and developed throughout a century, was next 

 in importation to ourselves. It is easy to guess why now. They 

 looked to the day when they would want every foot of their own 

 trees. 



"What did England do during the past century to develop 

 silviculture in one of the best woodland countries of the world? Next 

 to nothing, and sometimes worse than nothing. Virgin forests abroad, 

 open seas, and plenty of tonnage gave us all we wanted. That the 

 world's supply was becoming exhausted was scarcely foreseen. Yet 

 the word "famine" in regard to timber was distinctly used in the 

 report of the Royal Commission in 1909. The State was supine, the 

 individual landowner rarely did much, and not often with skill, while 

 the sacred ground game (deer) continued to kill the regenerative 

 powers inherent in all coniferous woods by nipping in the bud what 

 was intended by nature to replace the parent tree when it was ripe 

 for utilitarian purposes. 



"Of course the State can not now take over the woods without 

 starting simultaneously a great scheme of national forests. But 

 here will be a splendid opportunity to provide for not only temporary, 

 but permanent employment for thousands of ex-soldiers now accus- 

 omed to open-air life. IT HAS BEEN SHOWN IN GERMANY 

 HAT THE STATE FORESTS SUPPORT A LARGER POPULA- 

 ION THAN IF THE LAND WERE FARMED. There every inch 

 of a tree can be put to use. 



In describing the woodlands of England Mr Bevan writes: "I 



47 



