In connection with this planting, it may be of interest to record the attitude of Japanese foresters toward natural regeneration: “This is no longer popular in these days when the knowledge of forest management possessed by foresters has become highly developed, for if that method is the easiest and least troublesome, nevertheless it is not advisable, in view of the necessity of effecting a thorough improvement in our silvicultural conditions. Only on steep slopes and for protection forests is it applicable.”
In 1897, also, some eight experiment stations were organized, in addition to the earlier one at Nishigahara organized, in 1882, by Matsuno.
Education in forestry has lately run riot in Japan as it has in the United States. Since the first school, organized in 1882, not less than 62 institutions had seen the need of offering the opportunity to become acquainted with that subject. By 1910, these had been reduced to 47. Here, however, different grades are frankly acknowledged. There are three collegiate institutions whose diploma admits to the higher service, four are of secondary grade, nineteen give special courses, and the rest treat the subject merely as a subsidiary of a practical education including agriculture, stock-farming and fishery. A ranger school, which was instituted under Matsuno’s guidance, controlled by the forestry bureau, came to an end during the Russian war for lack of funds, but has probably been revived again.
A forestry association now with 4000 members carries on propaganda and publishes a magazine, and co-operative associations among small owners to facilitate better management are being formed under the law of 1907.
In conclusion, we may say that Japan has done wonders in reorganizing its forestry system in a short time, but, according to one competent observer, while all the Japanese care for detail and love for orderliness is apparent in the office, not all that is found on paper is to be found as yet in the woods, and that, for similar reasons as have been indicated for Russia; many things happen in the woods that are not known in the office.
KOREA.
The latest move in forest reform in this part of the world, as a result of Japanese influence, is to be recorded from Korea. Indeed, in 1910, Japan annexed Korea, and will doubtless apply her own methods in the new province. The forest area of Korea comprises only about 2,500,000 acres, out of an area of nearly 53 million acres of very mountainous country. A concession for the exploitation of the northern forests to a Russian, which included the re-planting with “exotic” tree species, was the immediate cause of the Russo-Japanese war. In 1907, by co-operative arrangements with Japan, a conservative forest policy was to be inaugurated by laws similar to those of Japan.
Drouth, floods and erosion of soils have been common experiences. The preservation of forest cover, especially at the headquarters of the Yalu and Tumen in the northern part of the country, is aimed at.