37 



year 1880, the number of fires returned was 2,983, and they burned over 10,274,089 

 acres of forest.* 



Interesting figures have been recorded for New Zealand. Dr. Hector estimates that 

 the forests, which covered 20,370,000 acres in 1830 had become reduced to 15,296,000 

 acres in 1860, and to 12,131,000 acres in 1873. With regard to other British Colonies, 

 the returns published by the Colonial Office in 1878 show that oat of thirty-eight Colonies 

 there were only four in which the forests were not stated to be decreasing. In most 

 cases, as in Canada, the timbered area was reported to be diminishing rapidly. 



The following statistics, embracing the available information to date, may prove of 

 interest in connection with the subject of timber supply : 



The total area of Europe is about 3,800,000 square miles, and forests cover nearly 

 one-fifth of the land surface. 



*Tenth Census of tlie United States, Vol IX., p. 491. It is considered that the estimate is too low as 

 4t many towns, and even counties in which forest fires are known to have occurred in the year 1880, made no 

 return whatever, and the returns of other counties were excluded," and it " at least does not exaggerate the 

 .annual loss inflicted upon the country by forest fires." The causes of the fires are classified thus : 



Improving pasturage 



Clearing land 



Locomotives 



Hunters 



Camp fires 



Smokers 



Malice 



Prairie fires 



Exclusive of lakes. 

 Exclusive of lakes and rivers. 

 Including lakes and rivers. 

 Including lakes. 



Coal pits 9 



Lightning 32 



Indians 56 



Prospectors 10 



Travellers 2 



Spontaneous combustion 2 



Woodcutters 3 



Carelessness 3 



(a) Statistical Abstract for Foreign Countries,1889. 



(J) Agricultural Returns, 1888. 



(c) Encycl. Brit., 9th edition. 



(<?) Report. Supt Cape Forests, 1882. 



