Introductory. 3 
lation of the United States, in spite of the natural forest 
wealth which is still supplying us, and with good reason, 
for at that time wood was the only fuel and rivers the 
only means of transportation; hence local scarcity was 
to be feared and was not unfrequently experienced when 
accessible forest areas had been exploited. Railroad and 
canal development and the use of coal for fuel changed 
this condition in both continents. Now, with improved 
means of transportation by land and by sea the questions 
of wood supply and of forestry development, which at 
one time were of very local concern, have become world 
questions and he who proposes to discuss intelligently 
forest conditions and forestry movement in one country 
must understand what is going on in other countries. 
As will appear from the study of the following pages, 
with the exception of some parts of central Europe or of 
some sporadic attempts elsewhere to regulate forest use, 
the development of the forestry idea belongs essentially 
to the 19th century, and more especially to the second 
half, when the rapid development of railroads had nar- 
rowed the world, and the remarkable development of in- 
dustries and material civilization called for increased 
draft on forest resources. 
Yet we are still largely ignorant of the extent of avail- 
ble forest area, not only in this country but elsewhere: 
whether it is sufficient in extent and yield to furnish a 
continuous supply for the needs of our civilization, and 
if not, for how long a time it will suffice. We can only 
make very broad statements and very broad inferences 
from them as to questions of wood supply as an argu- 
ment for the need of a closer study of forest conditions 
and forestry : 
