Show HOW KOW EUROPE IS RECLAIMING LAND Europe is conquering the waste lan laud land problem b by planting trees Every year thousands of acres of land are being reclaimed in in this warby way war wayby wayby by the leading countries countries- and put in a Ii condition preparatory to a pro profitable table timber harvest in the years to come Not only many previously f forested rested areas which have hav been heen cut over have ha been planted up but a a. number of tho the countries are also devoting their energies energies ener ener- gies to establishing a a. forest cover on dunes and other waste lands and in in fact on all aU land which is more valuable for pro producing timber than for other pur pur- po poses es France Franco has been one ODe of the foremost European Europe countries in reforestation especially especially es es' especially es- es in the mountains where planting plant plant- ing mg has been a powerful factor in in controlling controlling con con- trolling torrents and regulating stream flow The state each year buys uncultivated uncultivated lands in the mountain r regions gions and up to J January 1907 it had acquired acres m in this way Communes associations and private individuals are also assisted in reforestation refer refer- reforestation work by grants of money and by supplies of plants and seeds Altogether acres have been planted through this public ass assistance stance Complete exemption from taxation for fora a long period of years is granted anted in in the case of plantations made on the tho tops and slopes A reduction of mountains fout of n three fourths for for all land planted or sown whatever its situation situation sit sit- is also made One of the most striking examples of planting waste lands is is furnished by bythe bythe bythe the reforestation of the Karst Karat in Austria The Karst was a stretch of barren limestone lands comprising some a acres res in the hilly country along the Austrian shores of the Adriatic sea For centuries it had lied furnished the ship timber of Venice but excessive cutting together with burning and pasturing had left it a waste almost beyond re reo covery In 1865 the government began to or offar of of- fer far help to land owners who would undertake undertake un un- un forest planting there Taxes were remitted for periods of years technical advice was given and plant material as well as money was sup sup- supplied plied At present over acres Or two two- thirds of the Karst Karat are under forest partly as a result of planting at a acost acost acost cost of 8 or 10 an acre and partly which made as a result of protection natural recuperation possible In 1884 Austria also passed a reforestation reforestation law to control torrents This law carries an annual appropriation of and extensive planting work has been been successfully carried out under it During During the six years from 1901 to 1906 about acres of land suitable ble bio for forestry were acquired in Pros Pros' sia sia although a part of this was already wooded All possible assistance is also given hen to communes and private owners in planting work and in in was appropriated for this purpose In Ia Denmark no fixed appropriation is made for acquiring waste lands but butin butin butin in in the tho last twenty five years over o-er 43 acres have ha been purchased and recently re to- the annual cost of of- planting has bas amounted to over Tree planting plant plant- ing jag on the dunes aunes along the coast of Jutland for the purpose of protection from drifting sand is is continually going on That the work pays is shown by the fact that during durin the tho last ten years the average annual profit from all air state forest for for- est cst lands has been nearly Other European countries are constantly constantly con con- I doing similar planting work |