中國木本植物之分佈

The distribution of woody plants of China

The flora of China is doubtless one of the richest in the world and the woody plants play an important part in its composition. Although in the plains and at the lower altitudes agriculture has destroyed most of the natural forests, there are still existing in the higher mountains extensive wooded areas. Forests, in China, as well as in any other country, form a part of the wealth of the country, not only by supplying timber and other products, but also as an important climatic and edaphic factor in the regulation of humidity and precipitation and in the prevention of erosion and floods. In China, owing to the neglect of these facts, the natural forests have been destroyed by ruthless cuttings and burnings. The people are now suffering from famines year after year; and there are very few people who ever realize the real cause of these famines. Nobody really knows how much of these forested areas are left, where and of what kinds of trees they are formed, and how many of these forests with economic value still exist, and where necessary afforestation and reforestation have taken their places.