FORESTRY OF JAPAN. 1 3 



has only 36%. The ratio in Shikoku being $2% occupies the 

 medium position. The average ratio throughout the country 

 is 67%. In making a mention of the topographical condition 

 of Japan, it will be noted that only a few days have elapsed 

 since Karafuto, Formosa, and Hokkaido have begun to be 

 exploited so that there is a vast tract of land that may be 

 regarded as the forest districts being rich in forests and that 

 in the northern part of Honshu, a greater part of the land is 

 occupied by steep hills and precipitous mountains which consti- 

 tute the so-called absolute forest districts, reaching the climax 

 in the neighbourhood of Mt. Fuji. As we approach south- 

 western provinces, large plains are opened with ranges of hills 

 containing a few high peaks scattered here and there. These 

 geographical conditions are one of the primary causes which 

 brought about the disparity in the distribution of forests and it 

 will also be observed that the history of the local economic 

 development has the closest connections with the existence of 

 forests. The districts of Shikoku, Kyushu, and the western 

 part of Honshu were early opened to civilization, the means of 

 communications were comparatively developed ; products were 

 freely conveyed to the markets both by land and sea ; the 

 demand of timber accompanying the increase of population had 

 early become very keen. All these circumstances must have 

 caused the reckless felling of forest trees causing thereby the 

 gradual decrease of their area while the breaking up of forests 

 stimulated by the necessity of the increase of agricultural farmf 

 must have also contributed to such a distribution of forests as 

 we have at present. When apportioned to the number of 

 inhabitants, it will be observed that in Kyushu, the area os 



