Canadian Forestry Journal, Xoveniher, 1^16 



815 



Developing the Forests of Japan 



The forestry situation in Japan has 

 been described by Mr. A. Nakai, a dis- 

 trict forester from Tokio, in the follow- 

 ing terms : — 



"The total forest area of Japan, in- 

 cluding Honshu. Skikoku, Kyushu, the 

 Luchu islands, and other smaller is- 

 lands, is 56,820.000 acres. The forests 

 cover 78.3 per cent, of the total area of 

 the Japanese islands. Of the 10,000,- 

 000 acres of forests in the principal is- 

 lands of the group, two-thirds is in 

 standing timber and the remainder is 

 being reforested. The forests are clas- 

 sified into state, crown and private 

 areas, and the timber is chieflv cedar, 

 spruce, birch and Japanese pine, which 

 is similar in appearance to the red and 

 white pine of the United States and 

 Canada, but of different physical char- 

 acteristics. It requires about 100 

 years for forest trees to attain a diame- 

 ter of 14 to 15 inches at a point about 

 5 feet above the ground surface. 



"Japan exports more timber products 

 than it imports. Korea, and parts of 

 China and Europe, Australia, and the 

 United Kingdom consume most of the 

 lumber exported, although the United 

 States takes large quantities of our oak- 



The large timbers used in Japan come 

 from the Pacific north-west. 



"Conservation methods work suc- 

 cessfully in Japan and complete re-for- 

 esting of denuded areas can be accom- 

 plished in from 80 to 100 years. Re- 

 foresting was commenced in Japan 

 about 30 years ago, and the system is 

 now complete. 



"Patrol methods are followed in pro- 

 tecting Japanese forests from destruc- 

 tion by fire, a ranger's district covering 

 from 5.000 to 6.000 acres. Volunteers 

 fight the fires. When areas are clear- 

 ed for re-foresting, lines of about 40 

 yards in width are left open and kept 

 clear to prevent the spread of fires. In 

 Japan there are seven major forest dis- 

 tricts and within these are 205 subdivi- 

 sions, all under comprehensive control. 

 Areas may be cleared for farming, but 

 in Japan the farm units are small, aver- 

 aging only three acres for each farm. 



"Taking the timbered areas of Ja- 

 pan, including the southern portion of 

 .^akhalien, which is 90 per cent, tim- 

 bered, Formosa and Korea into consid- 

 eration, it will be observed that Japan 

 has a very large forest area — estimated 

 at 54,000,000 acres — in her colonies oi 

 Sakhalien, Formosa and Korea." ' 



Riordan Company to Plant Up Waste Lands 



Plans for extensive planting up of 

 cut over areas are being developed by 

 the Riordan Pulp and Paper Company 

 at St. Jovite. P.Q. Mr. A. C. Volk- 

 mar. Forester, is arranging for the plac- 

 ing of 400,000 plants next spring- Dur- 

 ing the present year 35,000 Norway 

 Spruce and white pine plants were set 

 out, and a beginning was made toward 

 a forest nursery, about 100.000 plants 

 having been developed from seed. 

 Gradually, the nursery will be develop- 

 ed to an annual capacity of at least 1,- 



000,000 plants of spruces and pines for 

 use in replanting burnt and non-pro- 

 ducing areas within the limits held by. 

 the company. Until the nursery is 

 fuller grown mo.st of the stock wilf be 

 bought from the Quebec Government 

 nurseries at Berthierville, and about 

 400.000 plants a year will be required. 



The Laurentide Company and the 

 Pejepscot Company have already de- 

 veloped forest nurseries of considerable 

 proportions, and out-planting has been 

 under way for several years. 



