THE PEODUCE OF FORESTS. 173 



rabbits is desired by " chasseurs." well and good; let them 

 establish rabbit warrens and please themselves to their 

 hearts' content, but let us make an effort to free, at any rate, 

 agricultural lands from this plague, which now seriously 

 reduces agricultural crops and demands an enormous outlay 

 on wire-netting fences. 



No doubt, shooting rents are a convenient income to the 

 proprietor. If, however, the areas are compared with the 

 income, it will be found that the rent is not nearly as large as 

 is sometimes assumed. The author has, for years past, taken 

 advantage of every opportunity to inquire into the matter, and 

 he is satisfied that, all round, shooting rents fall short of a 

 shilling an acre. There are occasional areas which give 

 half-a-crown and even more, but there are also immense areas 

 which give only a few pence per acre. On the other hand, 

 much of the land, if put under forest, can be made to give a 

 considerably higher revenue, even after allowing compound 

 interest on all outgoings. 



h. Forests and tlie Supply of Timber. 



The home production of timber, probably, does. not exceed 

 two million tons. Over and above that, we import rather more 

 than ten million tons, so that only 16 per cent, of all the 

 necessary timber is produced in the country. The increase 

 in the annual imports between the years 1864 and 1899 

 amounted to six and three-fifth million tons, equal to an 

 average annual increase of 190,000 tons a year. The average 

 annual increase during the last five of these years amounted to 

 332,000 tons. A further considerable increase has occurred 

 since the year 1899. 



Of this timber, 87 per cent, is pine and lir. 

 3 ,, ,, ,, oak. 

 10 ,, ,, ,, teak, mahogany, and 

 other furniture and 

 fancv woods. 



