1052 JOURNAL OF FORESTRV 



the purpose of maintaining stands dense enough to exclude under- 

 growth. These forest belts will be managed by a trained forester, 

 whose salary will be paid by the railroad company. All operations not 

 entering into the usual silvicultural practice will likewise be paid by the 

 company. 



G. A. P. 



MENSURATION, FINANCE, AND MANAGEMENT 



The October number of the Journal Forcstier 

 Swiss Suisse is almost entirely taken up by the proceed- 



Forest ings of the meeting of the Swiss Foresters Asso- 



Policy ciation, which after omitting meetings for some 



time convened again in August. The main busi- 

 ness was the presentation of three reports by a committee, instituted in 

 191 1, to formulate action for the improvement of the social and finan- 

 cial position of Swiss foresters and the improvement of forestry prac- 

 tice. 



The war has in several directions been favorable to this movement, 

 in that the importance and economic value of the forests have come to 

 be more fully realized. The total forest area of the country, around 

 2,000,000 acres, entailing in 1916 a total expenditure of around $340,- 

 000, secured a net income of two million dollars, or only $1 per acre — 

 a very low output, in spite of the increased cut over that of the ante-war 

 times and the increased export of nearly 15 per cent. The overcut 

 has, however, only to the extent of i per cent taken place in the public 

 forests, and this has led to bringing the private forests under surveil- 

 lance of the government. 



The total value of Swiss forests, figured on their yield, is stated as 

 between 250 and 260 million dollars, equaling the value of all the Swiss 

 railroads, and as only 200 foresters are engaged in the management of 

 this valuable property they claim more adequate recognition. It ap- 

 pears that the foresters in the public forests arc not always allowed to 

 direct their work without interference of non-professional adminis- 

 trators, and most private owners consider themselves competent to 

 manage their properties without technical advice. A more direct tech- 

 nical and intensive management, it is contested, could increase the pro- 

 duction by 15 cubic feet per acre and year. 



To clinch the argument, Biolley, one of the reporting committee, 

 adduces figures from a given communal forest of less than 300 acres. 



