16 



district, as will be seen from Fig. 5 (area 1). A great part of the area 

 is forest-boundary and mountainous land (Fig. 1), in which the low 

 temperature and shortness of the season of growth together render 

 the thriving of the ordinary forest trees impossible, Or at least uncer- 

 tain. The snowless period certainly averages 155 days and the number 

 of days on which the temperature is above 0C, about 165, but the 

 length of the actual season of growth is much less. Thus the birch 

 is leaf -clad on an average about 108 days per annum. The average 

 temperatures at Inari during the months most favourable for vegeta- 

 tion, viz., June, July and August, are 9.2, 12.8 and 10. 5 C, and in 

 May and September 2.9 and 5.6. North of this observation -post, in 

 North Inari and Utsjoki, pine-seeds ripen only about each twentieth 

 cone-year (p. 11). South and east of Lake Inarinjarvi and on the 

 Luttojoki river, natural conditions are more favourable, chiefly 

 owing to the lowness of the land, and here we meet with pine forests, 

 for the greater part still in a condition of nature, which are fairly good 

 considering their northern position, with which, further, in the Petsamo 

 area, spruce forests also connect. Here the regeneration of the forests 

 is also better, seed-years recurring on an average after intervals of 

 10 15 years. The market for timber at the mouth of the most im- 

 portant channel for floating, the Paatsjoki river, is good. At Utsjoki 

 and in places in the Petsamo area, the forests do not even suffice 

 for the demands of the settlements, building logs having to be brought 

 from better forest districts further south. With the exception of the 

 Inarinjarvi Salmijarvi Luttojoki area just mentioned, the forests 

 have now to be worked and managed as protective forests in accor- 

 dance with the new protective forest laws recently passed by the Diet . 

 South of this area is the wide F a r-N o r th area (Perd-Poh- 

 jola) (area 2 in Fig 5), which comprises the Kemijoki basin and the 

 part of the Torniojoki Muoniojoki basin on the Finnish side. Owing 

 to the size of the area, natural conditions vary exceedingly in its dif- 

 ferent parts. Its northern end, the northern and central parts of th'.' 

 Parish of Enontekio, resembles in many respects Utsjoki and North 

 Inari, being almost forest less mountainous district. Here also the 

 snowless period averages 155 days, while in the central parts of the 

 area it is 165 days and in the coastal district adjoining the Gulf of 

 Bothnia 185 days. The period of leaf for the birch varies between 

 109 115 days. At Sodankyla, situated at the southern end of the 

 northern half of the area the average temperature in May is 4.3, that 

 of June 10.7, July 13.8, August 10.9 and September 5.3 C. At 

 Tornio, on the other hand, the corresponding figures are 4.2, 11.7, 

 15.1, 12.7 and 7.7C. In the circumstances abundant seed-years 

 recur for the pines in the greater part of the area, on an average each 

 tenth year, near the mouths of the rivers appreciably oftener. The 

 last-named districts are also the best with regard to the quality of 



