ANCIENT AND MODERN FORESTRY 83 



Briefly stated, the economic conditions now 

 already obtaining, and practically certain soon to 

 become greatly accentuated, are such that the 

 present sources of supply throughout the world 

 are just able to meet the existing demand. But 

 the demand seems certain to increase, and such 

 enhancement can only be met by working out 

 timber from backwoods and remote tracks which 

 are at present unremunerative. Hence a general 

 rise in prices throughout Scandinavia, Russia, and 

 Canada must be the direct result of competition 

 between Britain, America, and Germany. Conse- 

 quently, also, prices for home-grown timber in 

 Britain must rise ; and the highest market price 

 will, of course, be obtainable for clean, well-grown 

 timber best answering the requirements of the 

 market. 



If our present three million acres of woodlands 

 were trebled in extent, and were all managed 

 on business principles, in place of being under 

 uneconomic management as game coverts and 

 pleasure grounds, as is now mostly the case with 

 British forests, this would merely be able to 

 supply existing requirements, and no more. Nay, 

 even if we had twelve millions acres under forest. 



