26 
TIMBEE 
afforestation and are large users and exporters of timber 
will be denuded of their natural-grown timber before the 
planted supplies become available and will find themselves 
in a similar position to Great Britain. Again, as countries 
increase in population, not only will the forest area be 
reduced, but, as we have already explained, the tendency 
will be in the direction of larger requirements of timber 
for home supply, and in time they will have none to 
export. 
It has been said that he who makes two blades of grass 
to grow where one had grown before is a benefactor to his 
race. The same may be said of those who by replanting 
timber trees, or resorting to measures for preserving 
timber, cause less of it to be used and so ensure its forests 
a longer life. Evelyn, in his " Silva," written more than 
200 years ago, says, " We had better be without gold than 
without timber." 
Besides the intrinsic value of forests to a country in 
providing its inhabitants with timber, their physical 
advantages should also be considered. Humboldt, in his 
"Travels," j)ointed out many years ago that "In felling 
the trees which cover the tops and sides of mountains men 
in every climate prepare two calamities for future genera- 
tions, a want of wood and a scarcity of water " ; for there 
is no doubt that, in addition to the heavy transpiration of 
moisture through the leaves of trees, there is a steady 
though moderate evaporation from the surface of the 
forest-clad soil also, thus restoring to the air for future 
precipitation a proportion of what has been absorbed in the 
form of rain. In many parts of the United States the 
farmer of to-day looks upon the hollows on the surface of 
his land, which when the country was better wooded were 
the courses of streams and which would be invaluable to 
an agriculturist. Forests also serve the useful purpose 
