FORESTRY IN THE BRITISH EMPIRE. »5 



stand some years hence when the population has further 

 increased. Not only the population but the number of head 

 of cattle, cultivation, railways and telegraph lines have 

 increased during the last twenty years at the most marvellous 

 rate. The population is nearly double what it was twenty 

 years ago, and the same holds good as regards horses, horned 

 cattle and sheep ; the land under cultivation has increased at 

 the rate of about 150 per cent., and yet it represents only 

 about one quarter per cent, of the total area. Although the 

 increase may not go on as fast as in the immediate past, 

 there are good reasons to believe that it will continue for 

 many years to come, though at a somewhat reduced rate. On 

 the whole, there can be no doubt that the demand for forest 

 produce will considerably rise. Complaints have already been 

 made that, in many parts of the countr}^ the material for 

 fencing is no longer available, and this difficulty will increase 

 with every succeeding year. 



Next to India, the colony of the Cape of Good Hope has 

 perhaps made the most vigorous effort to establish systematic 

 forest management. And yet, that colony imports a con- 

 siderable quantity of timber annually. 



The information collected during the last few years shows 

 that the newly-acquired territories in Africa will not be able 

 to come to the rescue of the mother country, apart from the 

 import of certain quantities of mahogany and other hard- 

 woods. None of the other colonies are in a position to 

 furnish the timber of daily use in Britain, especially as regards 

 a supply of coniferous woods. 



At the same time, it is clear to anyone who approaches the 

 subject with an unbiassed mind that, under existing circum- 

 stances, the imports of timber into the Empire will increase 

 rather than decrease as time goes on. 



Then comes the important question whether, even if the 

 Empire pays for it, foreign countries will be in a position to 

 furnish the necessary timber for any length of time. Data 

 which throw light on this question show that, although the 



