Forest Conditions. 205 



in 1902), representing over 110 million cubic feet 

 annually, mostly workwood, while the export is of 

 mine props and railroad ties at about half the value 

 of the imported wood. 



Since, in 1892, there were still nearly 12% (over 

 15 million acres) waste land, opportunity for enlarge- 

 ment of the forest area seems to exist. It appears that 

 about two-thirds of this waste land is capable of 

 bearing forest, and the existing forest area is capable 

 of much larger production than the present; three 

 quarters of the production being fuel wood. 



The distribution of forest area is very uneven, 

 varying from 3.5 to 56 per cent, in the various de- 

 partments. Only about 20% of the area is located 

 on the mountains, 19% in hill country, and 60% in 

 the plains. 



Six forest regions may be differentiated according 

 to HufTel, which, however, are mainly geographical 

 divisions: the northeast; valleys of Seine and Loire; 

 northwest and central; southwest and Pyrenees; 

 Mediterranean and Pre-alps; Alps. 



Hardwoods, oak (40%), beech and ash, etc., occupy 

 fully 80%, while pine the two species silvestris and 

 maritima, largely planted represents the bulk of the 

 20% of coniferous forest area, fir, spruce and larch in 

 the mountains forming a very small part. 



Only 25% of the forest area is timber forest, 38% 

 is coppice, and 35% coppice with standards, 2% 

 being in process of conversion into timber forest. In 

 the State forests alone, however, 68% are timber 

 forest or in process of conversion to that form. 



Of the 227 million acres, hardly more than 



