284 Finland. 



sometimes without students, and is naturally not of 

 a high grade, practical acquaintance with woodswork 

 being its main aim. 



Since 1876, a school for forest guards and private 

 underforesters has been in existence, where 6 students 

 are annually accepted for a two years' course. 



In addition there are two instructors provided by 

 the government, wandering teachers who are to 

 advise private owners. Premiums are paid for the 

 best managed woodlots on the government farms. 



The Finnish forestry association, which is in part 

 of propagandist nature, was organized in 1877. It 

 supplies, besides an annual report, other forestry 

 literature, and employs an experienced planter to 

 direct efforts at reforestation. 



A forestry journal (quarterly) is also published, 

 and a professional literature is beginning to start into 

 existence. 



It may be of interest in this connection to cite a 

 rough calculation made by Dr. Mayr of the available 

 material in European Russia and Finland combined, 

 which he places at 4,500 million cubic feet, and of 

 which he considers one-half available for export. 



It is impossible to prognosticate what position 

 Russia and Finland, together the largest wood pro- 

 ducers in Europe, will take in the future world com- 

 merce, and how rapidly better practices, for which the 

 machinery is already half started, will become gener- 

 ally adopted. At present, especially in Russia 

 proper, the general corruption of the bureaucracy 

 is an almost insurmountable obstacle to improvement. 



