8 THE IMPORTANCE OF FORESTRY. 



well and good; let them establish rabbit warrens, and please 

 themselves to their hearts' content, but let us make an effort 

 to Jree, at any rate, agricultural lands from this plague, which 

 now seriously reduces agricultural crops and demands an 

 enormous outlay on wire-netting fences. 



No doubt shooting rents give a convenient income to the 

 proprietor. If, however, the areas are compared with the 

 income, it will be found that the rent is not nearly so large as 

 is sometimes assumed. I have, for years past, taken advan- 

 tage of every opportunity to inquire into the matter, and I am 

 satisfied that, all round, shooting rents fall short of a shilling 

 an acre. There are occasional areas which give half-a-crown 

 and even more, but there are also immense areas which give 

 only a few pence per acre. On the other hand, much of the 

 land, if put under forest, can be made to give a considerably 

 higher revenue, even after allowing compound interest on all 

 outgoings. 



1). Forests and the Supply of Timber. 



The home production of timber probably does not exceed 

 2 million tons. Over and above that, we import rather 

 more than 10 million tons, so that only 16 per cent, of 

 all the necessary timber are produced in the country. The 

 increase in the annual imports between the years 1864 and 

 1899 amounted to 6f million tons, equal to an average 

 annual increase of 190,000 tons a year. The average 

 annual increase during the last five years amounted to 

 332,000 tons. 



Of this timber, 87 per cent, are pine and fir. 



3 ,, ,, oak. 



10 ,, ,, ,, teak, mahogany, and 

 other furniture 

 woods. 



Hence, 90 per cent., or 9 million tons, are material which 

 can be produced in this country by the afforestation of 6 or 7 

 million acres of land. 



