140 TIMBER 
notwithstanding her vast native supplies, a proportionate 
rise took place. Sweden and Norway, also with supplies 
at their doors, experienced similar conditions, an 
appreciation of 15 to 20 per cent. having taken place 
during thirty-five years in the value of their native 
woods. 
The effects of the great onslaughts that have been 
made on the virgin forests of the world, without any 
serious attempt at re-afforestation, are gradually being 
felt; and, as the conditions of ‘an increased demand and 
a perceptibly diminishing supply continue, the outlook 
is certainly not one that can be regarded as satisfactory. 
Another result of the clearance of forest areas which 
is in progress all over the world is the marked influence 
effected on natural conditions. As is well known, the 
woods mitigate extremes of temperature ; have a marked 
effect in regulating the water supply—more especially 
by insuring the sustained feeding of springs and thus 
rendering the flow of waters in rivers more continuous, 
and in tending to reduce the danger of violent floods ; 
they assist, by the action of the roots and stems of the 
trees, in preventing landslips, the erosion of hill-sides, 
and arrest the progress of shifting sands ; they, moreover, 
act as wind-breaks for the protection of agricultural 
areas and other necessary uses which are more perhaps 
to be noticed in tropical regions. Many countries 
‘that have been more or less cleared of woodlands have 
become sterile and arid wastes as a result of altered 
natural conditions. 
Some of the West Indian Islands have slightly felt 
the result of denuding their forest lands, an instance 
of which may be mentioned. The State authorities 
that were in power some years ago in the Island of 
Jamaica were of the opinion that conservation of their 
abundant forests was unnecessary, as timber could be 
