CHINESE FORESTRY.t Ma. SHAW, who has already published several volumes
dealing with the economical biology of China, now tackles the problem of Chinese forestry—a subject which had pre. vionsly, we imagine, to be studied ander conditions as difficult as those under which the critic of the Eatanswill Gazette studied
• Outlines of International Lae, By Charles H. Stockton. London George Allen and Bowl. flOs. 6d. net.I t Mims. raw Trees and Timber S&➢ylr. By Herman now. Leaden T. Mahar nevem COL fel- net.]
Chinese metaphysics. The rapid depletion of the world's timber supply which has taken place through reckless cutting in the last fdty or sixty years finds—like most things—an older prototype in the Celestial Empire. The growing deforestation of China has been noted by European observers for more than a century, and one of the many urgent problems presented to the new system of administration is to cheek this wastage. It is well known that the lose of forests has a serious effect on the climatic conditions of any country in which it takes place, and the influence of the increased erosion and desiccation due to the destruction of the trees is as well marked in China as in other lands. Mr. Shaw begins by giving a general description of the past and existing Chinese forests, and goes on to consider the methods which may be adopted by the Government for reforestation in the light of the experience gained in France, Russian Turkestan, and elsewhere. An account of the chief trees of the Chinese forests concludes this useful discussion of a little-known subject.
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