PART II. 



FOREST ECONOMY, 



INTRODUCTION. 



CONSUMPTION OF WOOD IN FINLAND. 



DR. K. E. IGNATIUS, who is Chief of the Staff in the Office 

 of Statistics in Finland, reports in regard to the Forest 

 Economy of the country: 'Forest products constitute more 

 than half of the total value of exports from Finland. This 

 shows of what importance the forests are for the country. 

 It is reckoned that Q4 per cent, of the entire surface, or 

 213,772 square kilometers, are covered with forests. But 

 these immense resources have been wasted recklessly for 

 centuries. That apparent dislike to forests which has 

 been seen amongst all settlers in forest lands seems to 

 be innate in the Finns. The practice of setting fire to 

 the trees, in order to clear the ground, has led to the 

 destruction of forests upon a great scale, and the con- 

 flagrations have at times swept over a great extent of 

 country. This practice still exists, more especially in the 

 eastern parts of the country; but the new regulations 

 which have been issued have already contributed greatly 

 towards putting a stop to this abuse. Amongst other 

 causes of destruction may be reckoned first, the combustion 

 of pines and firs to obtain tar ; next, the waste of wood 

 in fencing in many places they enclose the smallest 

 bits of land, and for this purpose millions of young trees 



