PROGRESS OF FORESTRY IN CHINA 



BY JOHN H. REISNER, 



DEAN OF COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY, THE UNIVERSITY OF NANKING 



[THINK the best evidence that interest in forestry in 

 a practical way is increasing in China is the large 

 number of hsien magistrates, agricultural societies, 

 agricultural and forestry companies, and other individu- 

 als who have bought either seeds and seedlings for nur- 

 series, or trees for forest planting this last spring from 

 the various forestry stations and institutions from which 

 they could be purchased. It is interesting to note, and 

 it argues well for the future, that forestry in China seems 

 to be developing from the bottom upwards, from the 

 lower and smaller political units to the higher and larger 

 units, with the Central Government doing practically 



the Central Government takes hold of the problem, but 

 that can and will function independently in the meantime. 

 I have not been able to gather complete data except 

 from Mr. Soong Ding-moo, of the First Provincial For- 

 estry School and the University nurseries, but between 

 the two, seeds and trees were supplied this last spring 

 for nurseries or forest planting, mostly for nurseries, to 

 1 59 district magistrates, agricultural societies, companies, 

 experiment stations, and individuals. In addition to 

 these, the "Educational Forest Enterprise," which I shall 

 mention again later on in more detail, supplied seeds and 

 trees to the amount of about $2,500, and the Yangchow 



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CHINESE NOTABLES ENTHUSIASTICALLY PARTICIPATE IN ARBOR DAY PLANTING 



The College of Agriculture and Forestry, at Nanking, is doing laudable work to accomplish the reforestation of China's deforested hills. 

 Due mainly to the untiring zeal of D. Y. Lin, a graduate of the Yale Forest School, Arbor Day in China is now practically an accomplished 

 fact. It was celebrated on April 5, 1920, and the above photograph was taken just after the Arbor Day ceremonies. Mr. Lin is seen standing 

 near the center of the picture, and a little in front of him to his left is the Governor of Shantung. 



I 



nothing at all. This is in marked contrast to forestry in 

 Western countries, where the work is usually carried on 

 by and is dependent upon the Central Government. One 

 has frequently heard the criticism that there can be no 

 hope for forestry in China until the Central Government 

 takes hold, organizes, and provides an adequate budget 

 for the prosecution of the work on a national scale, and 

 until national laws can be passed and adequate adminis- 

 tration provided guaranteeing protection to those who 

 plant trees. I do not believe this is true. From what I 

 have seen and personally experienced, I believe that in 

 and through the smaller government units and semi- 

 political agencies, such as agricultural societies, forestry 

 can be placed on a good working basis on a progressive 

 basis, that naturally will be greatly strengthened when 



nurseries, probably the largest private nurseries in the 

 province, if not in any province, which have a capacity 

 of several million seedlings, are reported to have had a 

 good year's business. Seventy-five per cent of the seeds 

 and trees supplied by the First Provincial Forest Station 

 were distributed within the province. Only about 12 per 

 cent of those sent out by the University nurseries stayed 

 in the province, while eighty-eight per cent were dis- 

 tributed in Anhwei, Honan, Chihli, Shantung and Cheki- 

 ang, in the order of importance named. This is an en- 

 tirely new development, and with education, demonstra- 

 tion, and experience will rapidly increase. 



The First Provincial Forestry Station of Kiangsu, situ- 

 ated close by the famous Ming Tombs at Nanking, was 

 established in 1916, by the Provincial Department of In- 



