58 THE FOREST RESOURCES OF THE WORLD. 



western provinces of China, they need foreign timber and receive it 

 from the United States and Canada. 



The imports are not very great as yet, but have increased consid- 

 erably compared with the imports of the sixties and seventies. From 

 the United States and Canada, China receives principally saw timber. 

 Eventually, when the country enters upon active construction of rail- 

 roads, the demand for timber will increase enormously. With 380,- 

 000,000 people, when it becomes an industrially developed country, 

 China will be a large buyer of wood in the world's market. 



PERSIA. 



Persia is almost treeless. Over the largest part of it trees grow 

 only in parks surrounding cities. Only the Caspian provinces are 

 rich in forests of all kinds. Here, on account of the fertility of the 

 soil, abundance of moisture in the soil, and high temperature, vegeta- 

 tion is extremely luxuriant and dense. The whole northern slope of 

 the Elburz Mountains, skirting the southern shore of the Caspian, is 

 covered with forests. In this region many species are found elm, 

 oak, plane tree, cherry, plum, etc. ; but the most valuable tree is the 

 box (Buxus sempervirens) , from which is extracted a gum which is 

 used by the people for chewing. It is considered very good for pre- 

 serving the teeth and is a disinfectant. In Europe the Buxus sem- 

 pervirens is used in engraving. This tree is now practically extermi- 

 nated in all places where it was accessible, being now only found in 

 the northwestern extremity of the Caspian region. 



BRITISH POSSESSIONS IN ASIA. 

 CEYLON. 



Next to East India, Ceylon is the most heavily wooded Asiatic pos- 

 session of Great Britain. Its forest area is given as 6,762,880 acres, 

 or 42 per cent of the total area of the island. 



The number of species is very great, among which ebony and satin- 

 wood are the best known. In general the composition comes very 

 close to that of British India ; oeside the species found in British 

 India, the bamboo, eucalyptus, beech (Fagus religiosa), and a great 

 number of others are found. 



The local consumption of big timber is small. Although Ceylon 

 exports rare woods, like ebony and satinwood, it needs timber for 

 construction and has an excess of imports over exports. 



The Ceylon climate is adapted to growing rubber trees, and this 

 industry has been started on a large scale. At the close of 1900 there 

 were 1,763 acres of all kinds of plantations. 



THE FEDERATED MALAY STATES. 



The total forest area of the Malay States is not known, except that 

 the British Government has established several forest reserves with 

 an aggregate area of 101,560 acres. 



THE STRAITS SETTLEMENTS. 



According to Mr. H. C. Heel, late inspector-general of the forests 

 to the government of India, 88,320 acres, or 9 per cent of the total 

 area of the Straits Settlements, have been declared reserved state for- 



