68 FOREST CUIiXUEE AND 



likely to increase, except through forces which would 

 initiate a new organic creation, or, at all events, bring 

 the present phase in the world's history to a close ; 

 but while the area of land does not increase, mankind, 

 in spite of deadly plagues, of the horrors of warfare, 

 and of unaccountable oppressions and miseries, which 

 more extended education and the highest standard 

 of morals can only reduce or subdue — mankind, in 

 spite of all this, increases numerically so rapidly that 

 before long more space must be gained for its very 

 existence. Where can we look for the needful space ? 

 Is it in the tropic zones, with their humid heat and 

 depressing action on our energies ? Or is it in the 

 frigid zone, which sustains but a limited number of 

 forms of organism ? Or is it rather in the temperate 

 and particularly our warm temperate zone, that we 

 have to offer the means of subsistence to our fellow- 

 men, closely located as they in future must be ? But 

 this formation of dense and at the same time also 

 thriving settlements, how is it to be carried out, 

 unless, indeed, we place not merely our soil at the 

 disposal of our coming brethren, but offer with this 

 soil also the indispensable requisite of a vigorous 

 industrial life, among which requisites the easy and 

 inexpensive access to a suflBciency of wood stands 

 well-nigh foremost. 



I may be met with the reply that the singular 

 rapidity of the growth of Australian trees is such as 

 to bring within the scope of each generation all that 

 is required, as far. as wood is concerned ; and as a 

 corollary it would follow that each generation should 

 take advantage of the facility thus brought locally 

 within its reach. I can assure this audience th^t 



