42 



THE STATE IN KELATION TO FORESTRY. 



other hand, surplus or waste land is available, afforestation will 

 provide additional work, and may give higher returns from the 

 land than it did in the past. 



As regards the indirect effects, the important points are the 

 climate and the configuration of the country. A sea-bound 

 country is, apart from wind breaks, less in want of forests than 

 an inland country ; a mountainous country is more in need of 

 them than low-lying districts on account of their beneficial action 

 as regards erosion, landshps, avalanches, the carrying away of 

 soil, sudden floods, and the sustained feeding of springs. 



All these matters must be considered in estimating the area 

 and nature of forests required in a country. No general rule can 

 be laid down in this respect ; the question must be determined in 

 accordance with the special conditions of each country. To show 

 the differences actually existing in some European countries, the 

 subjoined data are given : — 



Area of Forests in a Number of Countries. 



It will be observed that the area of forest per head of population 

 varies from 9-41 acres to 0-07 acre, and the percentage of the 

 total area of the country under forest from 47-6 to 3-5 per cent. 

 Sweden, Norway and Russia, especially the latter, have as yet 

 more forest than they require for their own consumption. Hun- 

 gary and Austria were exporting countries before the war ; 



