_Historical Inquiries concerning Forests and Forest Laws_, by
PERCIVAL LEWIS, 1811, gives a full account of the practices in the
old ban forests.
_English Forests and Forest Trees_, 1853, anonymous, gives an
interesting account of the old ‘forests’ and their history.
_Our Forests and Woodlands_, by JOHN NISBET, 1900, has a chapter on
the historical development of forest laws.
WM. SCHLICH, Manual of Forestry, vol. I, 3d ed., 1906, brings in
convenient form an account of conditions in various parts of the
British Empire.
SCHWAPPACH, _Forstliche Zustände in England_, Zeitschrift für Forst-
und Jagdwesen, 1903, is an account of forest conditions from the pen
of a practical observer.
B. RIBBENTROP, Forestry in India, 1900. Also various reports of the
forest departments of the various British Colonies.
It is a remarkable fact that the nation which can boast of the most
extensive forest department in one of her colonies, has at home not yet
been able to come to an intelligent conception even, not to speak of
application, of proper forest policy or forest economy.
One of the English authorities on the subject writes still in 1900:
“With so much land of poor quality lying uncultivated in many parts of
the British Isles, the apathy shown towards forestry in Britain is one
of the things that it is impossible to understand.”
If we should venture to seek for an explanation, we would find it in
geographical and physical conditions, but still more in personal and
political characteristics, historically developed, such as also in the
United States make progress of forestry slower than it would otherwise
be.
Due to her insular position with which in part the development of her
naval supremacy is connected, England can readily supply her needs by
importations. Situated within the influence of the Gulf stream, the
climate is much milder than her northern location would indicate, and is
in no respect excessive. The topography is mostly gentle, except in
Scotland and Wales, and the riverflow even all the year. Hence the
absence of forestcover has not been felt in its physical influences.
Britons, Picts, Scots, Scandinavians, Anglo-Saxons and Normans are the
elements which have amalgamated to make the English people. Through
endless warfare and political struggle the three countries, England,
Scotland and Ireland had, by the year 1600, come under one ruler,
although final legislative union with Scotland did not take place until
1707, and with Ireland not until 1800.
Theoretically, forming a constitutional monarchy, practically, an
aristocracy with republican tendencies, the history of the islands has
been a struggle, first to establish race supremacy, then to secure the
ascendency of the nobility and landholders over the king and the
commoners, in which the former have been more successful than the barons
in other parts of Europe.
Politically, the Englishman is an individualist, jealous of his private
interests and unwilling to submit to government interference for the
public welfare. Hence, State forestry, which is finally the only
solution of the forestry problem, appears objectionable. Commercial and
industrial enterprise rather than economic development appeals to him;
the practical issue of the day rather than demands of a future and
systematic preparation for the same occupy his mind. He lacks, as Mr.
Roseberry points out, scientific method, and hence is wasteful.
Moreover, he is conservative and self-satisfied beyond the citizens of
any other nation, hence if all the wisdom of the world point new ways,
he will still cling to his accustomed ones. In the matter of having
commissions appointed to investigate and report, and leaving things to
continue in unsatisfactory condition he reminds one of Spanish
dilatoriness. These would appear to us the reasons for the difficulty
which the would-be reformers experience in bringing about economic
reforms.