Africa. 439 



areas, some 100,000 acres having been set aside, 

 which are administered by the Conservator of the 

 Strait Settlement's reserves. 



The government of the island of Cyprus also em- 

 ploys a forest officer and guards to look after its 700 

 square miles of forest. 



In Africa, during the last few years small forest 

 departments have been established by the govern- 

 ments of the Soudan, East Africa, Nigeria, Transvaal, 

 Orange River and Natal, mostly for the purpose of 

 planting on the treeless plains. 



The government of Mauritius had made attempts 

 at conservancy for many years, but without notable 

 success. 



The most successful attempt in Africa so far is 

 reported from Cape Colony, which as early as 1819 

 had a Superintendent of Lands and Woods, and in 

 1876, a Department of Forests and Plantations, 

 neither of which have left much of record. 



In 1881, a new forest department under a French 

 forest officer was started, which has grown until now 

 its consists of one Conservator (D. E. Hutchins), 

 22 Assistant Conservators, 84 European foresters, 

 and a few native guards. In 1888, the. needed leg- 

 islation was had for regulating the working of the 

 nearly half million acres of forest area, which, in 1902, 

 was declared inalienable government property. Since 

 the wood imports amount to over two million and a 



