i<K\ii;\vs 987 



rights, minor products, grazing, damage claims and payments for the 

 concessions of cork-oak land authorized under the law of Feb. 2, 1870. 



The steady increase in total revenues is a credit to the forest admin- 

 istration. Beginning at 354,602 francs in 1890, it was 5,523,783 francs 

 in 1913. Owing to the war the receipts dropped in 1914 and 1915 to 

 about one-third the normal amount ! The expenses, however, arc 

 heavy, since the cork is cropped and marketed by the State. In 1890 

 the expenses were almost 2 million francs, about six times the receipts, 

 while in latter years the expenses had risen to 4>4 million francs, 

 about four-fifths to two-thirds the revenue. During the period 1903- 

 1913, the forests have been improved and yet yielded a total net reve- 

 nue of 8,728,092 francs. The yield per hectare has increased from 

 0.71 francs in 1890 to 2.86 francs in 1911-13. But if the revenues for 

 the cork oak forests (275,000 hectares) are taken alone, the yield is 16 

 francs per hectare per year and the yield for the remainder of the 

 forests land but 1 franc. The cork-oak yield per hectare was 55 francs 

 in the Algiers conservation, 5 in Aran, and 12 in Constantine. 



It is of interest that the value of cork oak per quintal averaged 30.58 

 francs in 1906-1910 and 33.65 francs in 1911-1913 — an average ot 

 about one and one-fifth cents per pound. 



In weighing these revenue figures we must bear in mind that about 

 a million francs of free use was disposed of each year. 



M. Marc discusses at length the disadvantages of the long-term 

 cork-oak land leases, the sale price having been less than 9.03 francs 

 per hectare in one lot of concessions, involving losses of enormous 

 extent considering the average revenue of 16 francs from similar 

 land held today by the Service des Eaux et Forets. Beginning July 

 16, 1891, no further concessions were made by the director of forests; 

 instead the forests were to be improved, managed, and exploited by the 

 State. The cost of producing cork has fallen from 23.7 per cent of the 

 sale price in 1891-1895 to 17.6 per cent for the period 1911-1915. 

 Nor is France impoverishing the forests for the sake of revenue, 

 having spent for improvements : 



Kind of Iniprovcmeut Francs 



Forest houses 3,483,173 



Roads 6,864,288 



Fire protection (fire lines chiefly) 706,045 



Forestation and cultural work 2,346,294 



13,400,000 



This money, being charged to capital, was secured by Algerian 

 loans. It is especially interesting to see that an average of $2,000 was 



