10
visited the island do not speak very favourably of the forestry officials, whom they describe as more devoted to office work than to practical forestry.
The fact is that that the executive of the Hokkaido suffers from lack of funds, and its chief concern is revenue, not conservation. The forests being an easily- tapped source of revenue, they naturally suffer.
Lumber is one of the most important items in the export trade of the island. The approximate value of timber exported in 1914 was 600,0001, mainly composed of oak logs to Europe and oak sleepers to China. Soft woods, such as "piue" (ie., conifers, but not the true pine, which is not indigenous), are used for pulp by the large paper mills in the island.
The principal forest trees are:—
Nara (Quercus grosseserrata).-A white oak, similar to the Austrian oak,
Sen (Kaloponua ricinifolius). -A short, stout tree, related to the ivy. Used for cheap furniture.
Gampi (Betula alba).-The white birch, and other birches.
Katsura (Cercidiphyllum).-—
-A member of the magnolia family, giving large logs;
used for furniture.
Tamo (Fraxinus mandshurica).--White ash. A cheap wood, worth about 8d. per cubic foot.
It has hitherto been
Matsu (Abies sachalienensis, and Picea ayanensis).-About 12,000,000 cubic feet of these trees, called "pine," are cut yearly, for fuel and pulp. Yamanarashi (Populus tremula, var. villosa).-The aspen. used for match splints, but the supply is failing, and the next best wood, populus maximowiczii, of which there is a good supply, is now being used, as also the lindens, for this purpose.
Mining,
The principal minerals worked are, in order of value :-
Coal,
Sulphur,
Gold, silver and lead,
Copper,
11
Herring About 290,000 tons, value 675,000, in 1912.
Salmon and sea-trout.-It is unfortunate that, both through reckless fishing and through the poaching methods of settlers living along river banks, the runs should now be much smaller than before. Attempts are being made to supply the deficiency by hatcheries. The present value per annum is only about 120,000l., at a liberal estimate, for salmon and trout caught in Hokkaido waters. Both fish are canned as well as dry-salted, and there is a small export; but the trade cannot stand up against the far more important Kamchatkan fisheries, which not only bring large sums to the Hokkaido every year, but also bring prosperity generally to the island, by providing employment for fishermen, boat-builders, net-makers, &c. Numerous concessions are held in Kamchatka by Japanese fishing-guilds based on Hakodate, and they employ Japanese labour and transport almost exclusively. It is instructive to note that one of the chief sources of wealth, and a great aid to the circulation of funds, in the Hokkaido is outside its boundaries, in foreign territory.
Crabs are tinned for export; and large quantities of seaweed are sent to China.
Manufactures.
Industrially the Hokkaido is far behind the rest of Japan. The commonest manufactures are those which deal with agricultural produce as raw material, such as the brewing of beer, saké and soy, the manufacture of starch, peppermint oil, hemp rope, and fabrics. Following theso come the canning or other treatment of marine produce, and the manufacture of paper, match-splints, &c., from foreign produce.
The manufactures carried out on the largest scale are:-
Paper
&c.
Annual Value of Output.
£
500,000
450,000
160,000
90,000
82,000
50,000
27,000
Saké, soy,
Peppermint, crude (? doubtful)
Starch
Canned goods
Beer
Fertilisers
The total value of manufactures is estimated at less than 2,250,000.
Tron,
Manganese, Oil,
and the total value of mineral output in 1912 was about 1,000,000/
Coal is plentiful, and about 1,685,000 tons was mined in 1912. It is found chiefly in the Ishikari district; the best-known mines being those of Yubari, Horonai, Ikushunibetsu and Sorachi. There is only a small export, as the domestic demand is great; but foreign-going ships frequently enter the port of Muroran for bunker coal.
Sulphur.--Hokkaido sulphur is well-known. The output in 1912 was 30,000 tons of sulphur as well as about 15,000 tons of crude "brimstone."
The quantities of other minerals mined are inconsiderable, but the poverty of inland communicatious make the progress of mineralogical survey slow, so that it is possible that there may be development in this field later.
In several parts of the island "maguetic sand" is found, but this, of course, has so far no commercial value.
The oil is said to be of rather better quality than that from the Echigo fields, but the output is negligible in volume. The Standard Oil Company at one time held an interest in the borings, but this has been taken over by Japanese oil companies.
Fisheries.
As stated above, the fisheries of the island are what first attracted merchants under the feudal régime, and they still employ a large proportion of the population (about 14 per cent. directly, and great numbers in related occupations). Reckless catching in past years has brought about a decrease in salmon, sea-trout, and herring, but the total value of catches remains steady. The gross value of fish and marine produce in general, taken annually, is about 1,500,000l. The principal
items are
Trade.
The foreign trade for 1913 comprised :-
Imports Exports
Total
£ 795,000 1,152,136
2,247,136
These figures do not, however, include the indirect truports and exports through Yokohama and other ports, which are proportionately high, owing to the lack of direct foreign freight from and to the Hokkaido.
G. B. S.
APPENDIX.
Finances of the Hokkaido.
1. The following abstracts of recent budgets, those for the financial year 1913-14, will give an idea of the financial condition of the Hokkaido administration.
1913.
REVENCE.
1. Hokkaido Government-
(a) Ordinary, from Government undertakings aud Government property (b) Extraordinary, from sale of Government property, &c.
Yen. 1,222,090
24,421
Total
1,246,511
474
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