404 Forestry Quarterly 



The Government is the dominant factor in the control of the 

 Russian forests because it owns or controls the following per- 

 centages in the different parts of the Empire: 



European Russia 65% or 232,000,000 acres 



Caucasus 65 8,000,000 



Asiatic Russia 75 253,000,000 



Total 493,000,000 arces 



The administration is centered in a Bureau of the Department 

 of Agriculture. There are 1490 forests, varying in size from 

 250,000 acres in northern Russia and Siberia to 27,000 acres in 

 the semi-arid regions in the southern part of the Empire. In 

 addition to the technical force of over 4,000 foresters, there is a 

 protective force of 32,000 men, so that the unit area per man is 

 38,000 acres, as compared with 40,000 acres in the United States. 

 Yet the Russians feel that in many cases their forests are under- 

 manned. 



Working plans have only been prepared for those forests where 

 close utilization is possible. Twenty-three per cent of the forests 

 now have extensive plans which cost from 1 to 1.6 cents per acre, 

 while intensive plans have only been prepared for 5 per cent. 

 The cost of these more detailed plans averaged 8.8 cents per 

 acre. 



Timber sales are handled much as in the United States. The 

 Government does not do its own logging, but sells the stumpage 

 to the highest bidder after advertising. As yet, sales are limited 

 to four years, but an attempt is being made to secure legislation 

 which will allow longer periods. 



Higher technical schools are maintained at Petrograd and 

 Novo Alexandria, which turn out 90 to 110 graduates annually. 

 In addition, there are 43 ranger schools, for the most part in 

 European Russia, which give a two-year course to lads over 16 

 years of age. 



K. W. W. 



Die russische Forstwirtschaft. Forstwissenschaftliches Centralblatt, January, 

 1915, pp. 10-19. 



