284 



A NATIONAL PLAN FOR AMERICAN FORESTRY 



TABLE 1. Average annual imports of unmanufactured timber, other than pulpwood, 



into Great Britain 



NOTE. Volumes are not converted into equivalents of standing timber. Ireland not included after 1923. 



Statistics of timber imports are available for the period 1843 to 1909 

 as to total volume and from 1909 to the present by classes of material. 

 During the 50 years from 1843 to 1893 Great Britain's import of tim- 

 ber (including all classes except pulpwood) increased fivefold, and the 

 per capita imports increased three times from 3.4 cubic feet to 11.1 

 cubic feet. (See table 1.) The last three decades of this period were 

 characterized by a rapid increase in population growth. From 1893 

 to 1914 imports continued at an average level of about 11 cubic feet 

 per capita. They decreased almost one half during the war decade 

 from 1914 to 1923. The year 1924 marks the resumption of normal 

 conditions. From that year to 1930, excepting 1926, the year of the 

 general strike, imports regained their pre-war level, and averaged 

 11.5 cubic feet per capita, although during the period there was a 

 sharp decline in the rate of population increase. In 1931 there was 

 a sharp drop to 9.1 cubic feet, a direct reflection of the generally 

 prevailing depression. 



For almost 40 years, then, except for the decade including and 

 immediately following the World War, imports of unmanufactured 

 timber other than pulpwood have maintained a level of slightly more 

 than 11 cubic feet per capita. 



The consumption of pit props shows a tendency to decline slightly, 

 but not enough to affect the general average. The import of mining 

 timbers for the period 1901-5 averaged more than 106 million cubic 

 feet; during the period 1909-13 it was more than 147 million cubic 

 feet; and during the period 1924-30, not including 1926, the average 

 dropped to 137 million cubic feet. In 1931 there was a sharp drop, as 

 with all other classes of timber. 



The consumption of pulpwood has increased greatly since the war. 

 Imports during 1909-13 averaged 59.3 million cubic feet. In 1924 

 the import was 84.7 million and in 1930 it was 105.7 million cubic 

 feet. 



A census of home production has been taken only twice, in 1924 

 and in 1930. In 1924 the home production of aU classes of wood was 



