New-York tribune., 1907-07-22
FORESTRY TN FRANCE.
Scientific Methods of Preserving the
Republics Woodlands.

"iSLS F4ll4I importance IS attached to the pres
erVaton Of woodlands, the efforts made by
President Roosevelt to protect forests and main
tain their culture. are followed with great in
terest In France, just as in the United States.
the forests are being encroached upon by the
requirements of hand-to-mouth agricuIturists,
oI Aose who have grazing animals, of farmers
VINO wish to clear away trees 10 make way for
lie planting of wheat, sugar beets or potatoes.
and by the ever increasing demands Of the
countless industries that consume wood or it's
py-produCtS for their raw material" This re-
mark was made few days ago to the present
writer by n. Charles Dupuy ex-Prime Minister
upon whose Initiative, together with that Of NJ.
I!efte Baudiu, formerly Minister of Public
works laws have been enacted for the purpose
OF bringing large tracts Of woodland. hitherto
earelessly administered by happy-go- lucky VII
lase communities. under the national scientific
forest regime
With the exception Of ancient Greece, France
was the first country in Europe to make spe-
clSII laws for the preservation Of forests AS
4Ohg ago as 1855 the States General met for the
purpose or protesting against the wanton waste
ana obstruction Of trees In 1875 Charles V
issued q series of edicts that form the basis
% t1e present Code Forester, or wood preser-
NaI!oh laws which are the most complete that
exist ana which have served as the model for
Ille sylvan legislation in Germany, Austria Hun
gary, Eussia, and in all other countries where
me TACT IS realized that the protection Of forests
IS national necessity. The French Forestry
CoIe was modified by Francis !, VINO made tho
royal forests inalienable and by Charles TX
VINO decreeI that ten years should be the mini
mum period OF rotation for cuttings even for
woods belonging to private individuals and the
severity with which he enforced these laws was
me main cause OF his unpopularity with the
ia1uoWneFs- II was Sully, the right hand min
lster or Henri ", who required that double rows
or trees should be planted and maintained ~, an
he roads Of the kingdom as p measure op
ulAty IN keeping the routes in good condition
as as Wen as protecting those who use them fr,r,
sun. wind or rain"
by lhe irony Of fate this Same SuIly. the area+
lover OF forests, felt constrained n sacrtsoo 80
O"H trees on his estate at Rosny. on the Seine
py cutting them down and selling them m sI,r9i,
- ---!l5 u MS royal master, who. previous 10 his
7 Win the wealthy Marie de Medcis
as constantly IN debt Colbert the great min
lsteF or Louis XIV was an entbusias+fc W.
.eCIoF OF forests, and under his administrator
10 wooded area Of France was Increased
~ lt1Iee A44lon acres Forests were neglected
curing tAe rule OF Louis XIV who caused +bo,,-
sands o8 acres Of woodland including +rae. -
IMAM Two hundred years old 20 be c1,t douyo -
meet MS financial requirements Napolaon
@ 90" nc necessity Of drastic legislation to pro-
Lect the forests and enforce the laws r,ada ~,
Co!oert for the scientific rotation OF +rea c,,,
ungs- It was Napoleon who organized +to r.
eSIy SchooI Of Nancy, but this model Institution
was not put upon working basis untf 1904 ari
80 i1'i'--I hao1e as being almost the only act Of
Y II
90 -'apo-e'A III who, upon the suggestion NJ
DaFoh daussmann, required that eli the +raas ~
ne streets or Paris and other large towns shours
Do - oOeCted from encroaching asphalt or pava-
-oHC Oy an open circle metre IN diameter n
e-eLoIe tne roots 70 receive an adaoua,a vrn.o-
supply. The French forestry Iav,e 49, -
,-'su oy the Ilrard ministry during the Prosi-
HeAcy OF Sad!-Carnot IN January, 1883 and yro-.
80. - -ouS'l Up TO date by the MeIine min
!stfy during the Presidency OF T7sIfv r-a--o =
n A-l,r-
as there IL In the United States aIfbougb 80
- oHe ii Algeria Frenchmen are natural lovcrs
o1 trees, and the history Of forest protectfon IN
'u!Ce - i14 OF Interesting features and experi-
ihehtS bearing directly upon the grea, yvorl, op
t1t''11s' Tree culture and national forest
reserves. so wisely recognized by President
soo99'tl1 as or vital Importance for the f,lt,lre
prosperity Of the United States
The wealth Of France TO-DAY, % Iarc-a,,, a., =.
me Jaws enforcing scientific forestry that yca~e
enacted centuries ago. and owing 70 tha CON
t'@u94 observance os which one-s!xtb ~ tLa
lo'A' area OF France is woodland According
- ne Ia'est nsures no less than 2 2025OOO acres
Oh forest arc the exclusive property Of tho s,o,a
The woodland belonging 10 tho co-7,,,,ro -. -,
pTlses altogether 100000 acres OF which 4
oVVpo acres are fortunately subjected to the
-I'to-@- forestry regime and are consequently
cared tor with paternal affection and scientific
interest IAere are, in addition to this IL zoo
w acres of forest belonging 70 private Indiy5d
uaIs' which brings up the total wooded area ~
france TO nearly 100000 acres or about ono
s'Ath OF lle total area Of the country The .ad-
l-II'Slfatloh deS eauX et-f0rets' is placed under
the direction Of the N-ffister % gricul,,,r -
ourators inspectors sub-inspectors ara o,h
olnc'aIs fHtrusted with the duties OF annlving
the forestry laws exceed eight hundre1 T-17e-,
are selected from the graduates Of the Natiore1
Forestry School at Nancy. where the course ~
instruction lasts two years Tho Trorss,r,,
School IS largely recruited from the tvvan+y a..
elementary agricultural schools of France or
thouGh the course IS open to any French horn
youth who has completed his tyyent,,-eo,o,,I
year and who has successfully passed n com,
pettlVe examination similar to that required for
admission to the Polytechnic School IN paris
Besides the forestry officials there ara nira
thousand brgadiers and guards employed IN
the various national forests most oe whom, ara
graduates OF the Practical School Of yvood 81.
ure GIcole PratiqVe de Sylvlculture) in the do
maine OF Barres near Nogent-slIr- Vernissoo q,
the Department Of Loret
The "amena cement" or scientific rnanao oap,er+
which IS the basis OF the French forestry code
permits OF three distinct systems Each foras+ a.
subjected TO the particular system best s,Iitoa -
its wood and soil. These systems are know, es
the "tatllis" the 'futaie" and the "tail1is so,,s
futaie." The system most in favor because r.
enables the owner to derive larger yearly reve
nue. from the forest IS that of the 'taflis'' The
principle Of this Is that the regeneration ia d.
rived from shoots supplied by stunps ana roots
Of the trees that have been cut down. Tbe
'taillis" enables the owner to apply the mini
mum period Of rotation for cuttings, which I
that Of thirty years. The disadvantages of tho
"taillis" are that IL is only useful for the pro-
ductiOn OF frewOOd that It creates q tendencv
to transform the forest into trees Of white wood
Of rapid growth. thereby diminishing its vaIua
The system known that Of zen futaie" ls
founded upon the regeneration from youn,
plants supplied by the seedlings or "brins de
IT..