10 



There can hardly be room for any greater error if the proportion 

 covered by pine in the total area of the forests of the country be put 

 down at 50 %, that of the spruce at 25 %, the birch at 20 % and 

 the other trees at about 5 %. 



The conditions of age of the forests are not nearly 

 normal in Finland, as will be seen from the following figures, which 

 show the proportion of area of the different classes of age in the fer- 

 tile forests. The statistics for the State forests concern only conifer- 

 ous forests, those for the Joint Stock Company lands chiefly coni- 

 ferous forests and those for the private forests only pine forests, so 

 that the differences in the forests of the various classes of owner 

 depend partly on this circumstance. 



State forests Mainly Com- -r, 



Pnvate for - 



Age 



1 J5 years 



51100 ^ 



101150 



151200 



over 200 



1 20 



21 40 21.6 :*l.i 



41 60 29.1 24.8 



61 80 26.9 18.8 



81100 9.4 10.0 



over 100 6.7 2. 3 



Comparatively least represented in all the forests is the youngest 

 class. Specially great is the difference in the quantities of the older 

 and the younger classes in the State forests of North Finland. 



The condition of forest described in the foregoing is due to the 

 fact that true regeneration cuttings have not been carried out in the 

 degree needed. Up to quite recent times the State forests have also 

 contained comparatively many old, untouched natural forests, in 

 which the younger classes can have sprung up only after forest fires. 

 TJiese fires, and before all the method of cultivation by burning, are 

 the chief reasons for the comparative youth of the forests of Savo 

 and Carelia in many places. 



Despite the fact that, particularly in the private forests, numerous 

 extremely unfavourable cuttings, from a silvicultural point of view, 

 have been carried out, there are comparatively few clearings in Finland 

 that have not become reaf forested. This is due to the fact that the 

 conditions for natural regeneration are generally good, better than in 



