New-York tribune., 1901-03-24
THE WORLDS TIMBER SUPPLY.
DANGER or ITS FAILURE UNLESS RE
FoREsTING is PRACTIsED
From Tn London Standard.

From Tn London STANDARD
The possibility of a failure at distant date
The worlds timber supply considered ~
Or W SchLch last night in an address de-
Nvered be.oT- ta- Society Of Arts. To answer
this question Nc must ask three othe-s- TAX
ing the world = whole. DO We find he de-
mand materially increasing II so. Is the sup
p'y keeping pace with IT. IL not. rtn my
remedy br fcuudc The prospect Cf sU'h u
famine is n" trinicS matter. Ne are accus-
toned 70 discuss with some rulSSlV Wings the
Irob4ul- cuTtaiiIu~ut of the national coal sap
I'y. buJ th- world ~ large need not concern
itself with such appre tensions \ deficiency IN
timber. however is more imminent and hardly
less serious Apart :iIn It's uSe for luel and
building. IL has been immensely in demand fer
making paper pulp and CeliuloSe In Europe
thirteen countries ar~ importers. Great Britain
being the head II the last. followed by Ger
many. wiki France As the third Five 1Te ~
I'ttcfs, Russia and Scandinavia being tEe tead-
ers h~rc In Europe, as whole imports ~
cevd exports hy over 2Gro.eO tons. The de-
mand also is increasing.
In the British Is'-s imports have grown 3ur-
ing the last thirty-tiye years at an average rate
of l39W] tons and The price has mounted Vet
more rapidly Germany, though IL has eXt N
s.ve forests of is Own. supporting hy work lone
in them about million people ana three times
many by work IN connection with them. IS
also a iarge Importer though II takes less than
half as much require Dr. SChliCh caicu-
Iates that the consumption OF timber in the
four chief consuming countries, at the present
rate o. increase. wi!l probably have risen IN 4
few years from fourteen to twenty cubic feet
per head.
is extensive in Russia and especially in Fin
land. but frur a NaIi, y If causes is not cdpabla
- very great expansion the supply II timber
may not uprubIhIy begin before long to fall
"n. In Scand navia the limit of productivity
seems 10 have been already reached Eat Eu-
rope Il may Toe aid. is not tn. world. DR..
~chlich accordingly passes other regions in
/ view. Some If them are importers. hut their
demand - far exceeded by the export Of the
rest. the balance that side amounting
1>!,ttu tons, or less by ;HS.,'N tons than the
European deficit This. however is made up by
imports from such countries as Madagascar,
Siam ard Java. which do not figure in the tahu-
lated return. II is clear then, that the supply,
even at the present time. can barely keep pac,
with the demand. and the limit of the former
has been very nearly reached. China, ii u be-
comes prosperous. is likely import
timber than 10 export II, for she has little OF
her
The United States hitherto have been large
exporters the average value of timber sold ex-
ceed.uG thaI bought during the hast fifteen years
hy t. .Ss.ttn But Or. SChliCh maintains
that notwithstanding the vast area covered by
forest. ard the protective measures now adopt
I'd the States could not long support a greatly
! Increased demand. The position IN Canada II
atrly Sre~t-r in TIE past, and measures 10 cheek
il are only in the germ. DR. SChliCh therefore
concludes that. far cOniferOus wood is
I concerned. the da niger IF deficient supply is al
ready almost At hand. In our own country this
&c Institutes ~ per cent Of the imports. and the
| price is steadily though slowly rising. What
remedy. then. can hr sOundc Or. Schlch re-
/ pheS. Cultivate timber waste lands, like
/ other crops on the more fertile soil. There are
4 il: this country o5dGd.0n acres suitable for the
purpose. quarter of this area would make
Great Britain sef-suppOrting in the matter OF
timber and would give employment to thousandI
| of its population