A LESSON IN FOREST ECONOMY 249 



1. For the maintenance of lands on mountains of slopes. 



2. For protecting the soil against erosion and the encroachment of rivers, 



streams, or torrents. 



3. To insure the existence of springs or water courses. 



4. For the protection of dunes and shores against erosion by the sea and 



encroachment by the sand. 



5. For the defence of territory in the frontier zone which shall be determined 



by a regulation of the civil authorities. 



6. For the sake of pubUc health. 



Art. 100. — In case of any violation of Art. 98, the person who shall have 

 effected, or caused to be effected, the clearing shall be sentenced to a minimum 

 of 200 francs ($38.60), and a maximum fine of 500 francs ($96.50) per hectare 

 (2.5 acres) of woods which have been cleared. 



Moreover, if ordered so to do by the Governor General, he shall replant the 

 areas denuded within three years. 



Art. 101. — In case the owner does not carry out the planting or sowing within 

 the time prescribed by the order of the Governor General, the Waters and 

 Forests Service can see that it is done at its own expense upon previous 

 authorization from the prefect who shall order a memorandum of the work 

 drawn up and the cost levied against the owner. 



Art. 102. — The provisions in the four preceding articles are applicable to 

 sowing and planting executed in accordance of the Governor General's decision, 

 for the replacement of denuded woods. 



Art. 103. — The following are excepted from the provisions of Art. 98 : 



1. Young woods during the first twenty years after their sowing or planting, 



except in the case set forth in the previous article. 



2. Parks and gardens either fenced or adjoining habitations. 



3. Woods not fenced, less than 10 hectares (24 acres) in extent, on condition 



that they do not form part of another wood which would bring up 

 the area to 10 hectares (24 acres), or that they are not situated on vhe 

 summit or slopes of a mountain. 



4. Those portions of forests which the owners have been authorized to cut 



down in virtue of Art. 9 of the decree of Feb. 2, 1870. 



5. The land which has been reserved as woods and forests included in areas 



(set aside for) colonization. 



Art. 104. — Excessive exploitation, grazing after felling, coppicing operations 

 or fires, which may cause the total or partial destruction of the forest in which 

 they are practiced, shall be treated as deforestation, and in consequence those 

 set forth under Arts. 100 and 101. 



Why was such a law possible in a country so intensely democratic? 

 Simply because the law-making bodies found it was necessary for the 

 good of the State. This is wise economics as well as just legislation. 

 I believe therefore that sooner or later the timber owners of the United 

 States will meet the issue squarely and justly. 



In France about one-tenth the forest area belongs to the State, 

 two-tenths to communes and i)ul)lic institutions, and seven-tenths to 



