Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1894-04-28
FOREST PROTE,Gr TION.
LAWS FoRBIDDlNG TIE BsSTRUcTloN
OF TIMBER IN EUROPE

Governments have SupcrNtsloh ONCr 1T
vato as Well as National and Communal
Notwithstanding Carried ON by Is
tablished Departments.
In Germany the various governments
own and manage, in conservative
spirit, about third of the forest
area, and they also control the manage
ment of another sixth, which belongs to
villages, cities and public institutions,
in so far as these communities are
obliged to employ expert foresters and
must submit their working plans to the
government for approval, thus prevent
ing improvident and wasteful methods
The other half of the forest property,
in the hands of private owners, is man
aged mostly without interference, al
though upon methods similar to those
employed by the government, and by
trained foresters, who receive their edu-
cation in one of the eight higher and sew
eral lower schools of forestry which the
various governments have established.
The several states differ III their laws
regarding forest property. Of the pri-
vate forests 20 per cent are without any
control whatever, while 80 per cent are
subject to supervision so far as clearing
and devastation are concerned.
The tendency OH the part of the gov
ernment has been rather toward persua-
sive measures. Thus in addition TO buy
ing up or acquiring by exchange and re-
foresting waste handsome 500, 600
acres have been soEeforested during the
last % years-the government gives as
sistance to private owners in reforestinS
their waste land. During the last 10
years $500, 0O0was granted i'll this way.
In Austria, by law adopted III 1892,
not only are the state forests-compris-
ing less than so per cent Of the total
forest Internationally managed and
the management of the communal for
ests-nearly 10 per cent-otficially su-
pervised, but private owners-holdlng
about 50 per cent-are prevented from
devastating their forest property to the
detriment of adjoiners. No clearing for
agricultural use can be made without
the consent of the district authorities,
from which however, an appeal TO
civil judge is possible, who adjusts the
conflict of interests.
Any cleared or cut forest must be re-
planted or reseeded within five years.
On sandy soils and mountain sides clear
ing is forbidden, and only culling OF the
ripe timber is allowed
In Hungary, also, where liberty Of
private property rights and strong Oh
lection TO government interference had
been jealousy upheld, q complete reac-
ton set in some Is years ago, which led
to the law of $780, giving the state con-
troll of private forest property as i'll Aus
tria.
Under law adopted in Italy in 1883
the department. Of agriculture, i'll coop
Grafton with the department Of public
works and in consultation with the for
estal committee of the province and the
respective owners, is to designate the
territory which for public reasons must
be reforested under governmental con-
troll
The owners may associate themselves
for the purpose of reforestation and for
the purpose may then borrow money at
low interest from the State Soil Credit
institution, the forest department con-
tributing three fifths Of the cost of re-
forestation upon condition that the work
is done according to its plans and within
the time specified by the government.
In Russia until lately liberty to cut,
burn, destroy and devastate was unre-
stricted, but in 1888 comprehensive
and we'll considered law cut off, so far
as this can be done on paper, this liberty
of vandalism. For autocratic Russia
this law is rather timid and is in the ma
ture of compromise between colnmu-
nal and private interests, in which much
if not all depends on the good will OF
the private owner.
a federal law was adopted in Switzer-
land in 1876 which gives the federation
control over the forests of the mountain
region embracing eight entire cantons
and parts of seven others, or over l, Co.,
600 acres of forest. The federation itself
does not own any forest land, and the
cantons hardly 100, 600 acres, somewhat
over 4 per cent of the forest area, two
thirds of which is held il communal
ownership and the rest by private own-
ers.
The federal authorities have supervi-
sion over all cantonal, communal and
private forests, so far as they are pro
tective forests, " but the execution OF the
law rests with the cantonal authorities
under the inspection of federal officers
In France not only does the state man
age its own forest property, one-ninth
of the forest area, in approved manner,
and supervise the management of fer
ests belonging to communities and other
public institutions, double the area OF
state forests, in manner similar to the
regulation of forests III Germany, but it
extends its control over the large area of
private forests by forbidding any clear
ing except with the consentof the forest
administration. Century Magazine.
Around the World.
The time required for a traveller to
circle the earth has been greatly reduced
since the i1narina1-y trip Of Jules Verne 5