84 OUR FORESTS AND WOODLANDS 



and all under the best of management, they would 

 probably be just about able to supply the demand 

 for timber likely to exist at the time plantations 

 now formed may become mature. Past experi- 

 ence has shown that the demands for timber are 

 constantly increasing, despite the more extensive 

 use of substitutes like iron and stone for con- 

 structive purposes. 



While the total imports of hewn timber have 

 only risen slightly during the last five to eight 

 years, those of sawn and dressed timber have 

 during the same time increased by fifty per cent, 

 in value ; and this upward tendency is likely to 

 manifest itself yet much more rapidly in the near 

 future. It seems marvellous, indeed, that a matter 

 of such great national importance has hitherto 

 received so very little attention. If adequate 

 measures were taken to try and grow the eighteen 

 million pounds' worth of pine and fir we now 

 import, and which imports may become greatly 

 increased in value within a comparatively short 

 period, a vast economic field, now left neglected 

 and uncultivated, could easily be made to yield 

 a golden harvest. Not only would this vast sum 

 be retained within our own country, in place 



