278 TIMBER 



here at least are inexhaustible supplies, and that man is too 

 small a creature to make much impression on these mighty 

 reserves of timber. And yet ' it has been estimated that, if 

 the present cut of timber is maintained in Canada, the supply 

 of saw timber will be exhausted in 120 years ; but, if the rate 

 of cutting increases, the supply may be exhausted in half that 

 period. That the latter contingency is probable may be 

 gauged from the fact that in spite of the large number of 

 substitutes available, the demand for wood is continually 

 growing.' 



Until comparatively recent years no attempt was made 

 to preserve this vast store of wealth, and not only ruthless 

 felling but insect pests and forest fires were allowed to 

 carry on their work of destruction unchecked. Now, however, 

 forestry is becoming year by year a subject of greater impor- 

 tance among Government experts, and the best means of 

 conserving the forests is a matter of continual study. 



Newfoundland, too, has large areas of forest land and 

 exports lumber, but during the last few years she has developed 

 a very successful wood-pulp paper industry, one factory alone 

 producing 200 tons of paper a day, besides having a consider- 

 able amount of wood-pulp for export, and it is believed that 

 Newfoundland ' will become one of the most important con- 

 tributors to the world's supply of wood-pulp and paper '. 



In Australia, on the coastal highlands, there are extensive 

 forests, and in Tasmania two-thirds of the island are forested. 

 Some of the principal trees in Australia are Ironbarks and 

 various kinds of Eucalyptus, of which the specially hard Jarrah 1 

 and Karri are characteristic of Western Australia. 



New Zealand is famous for its Kauri Pines, which take from 

 600 to 1,200 years to reach maturity, and from which the 

 wonderful kauri gum is obtained (practically a monopoly of 

 New Zealand), and there are many other valuable forest trees ; 

 but here, as in other parts of the empire, reckless felling has 

 been the rule in the past, and the Royal Commission on 

 1 We import some of this for sleepers. 



