1 6 FORESTRY OF JAPAN. 



and ownership of forests, it may be observed that owing to 

 future adjustments some changes may be expected but, on the 

 whole, the order is restored and provisions completed so that 

 in the course of time the supply of the products will be 

 strikingly increased affording facilities to obtain the timber 

 everywhere throughout the country. 



CHAPTER III. 



THE FOREST ZONKS AND THE CONDITION 

 OF FORESTS IN JAPAN. 



The geographical position, the topographical condition, 

 climate, and geology of forest lands affect considerably the 

 species of forest trees and the condition of their growth. 



Owing to the difference in the degree of the Latitude and 

 that of the altitude above sea level, there is a considerable 

 climatic difference in various districts. With the exception of 

 the Kuriles group and a few high mountainous districts, the 

 growth of the forest trees has been so favourable that there 

 are found various lines of forests from the Torrid zone to the 

 Frigid zone having rich and abundant varieties of forest trees, 

 which have no equal in the world. Owing to the distribution 

 of land, topographical condition, continental and oceanic rela- 

 tions, and to the tidal relations both cold and warm, the climate 

 of Japan is extremely complicated showing great varieties. 

 The temperature ranges from a yearly average of 20 C. in 

 Formosa, the land of high temperature, to the yearly average 



