NOTES ON THE FORESTS OF NORWAY. 465 



The above figures do not include 50 square miles belonging to 

 the Kongsberg silver-mines, or 77 square miles the property of 

 the Angell Charities. 



Of the State forests, covering 2241 square miles, 1293 square 

 miles, or more than one-half of the whole area, lie in the districts 

 of Tromso and Finmarken, which northern tracts, as well as many 

 of the State forests in the mountains of the south, with many of 

 the State Commons also, are not very productive. It follows that 

 the really productive area under control is by no means extensive. 



Since the year 1860 money has been annually granted for the 

 purchase by the State of forests, or of land suitable for forest, 

 especially in the most denuded districts, or where the want of 

 shelter to farms and villages is much felt. The sum annually 

 allotted to this purpose during the past few years has been £3500, 

 but this amount has been augmented from time to time by special 

 grants. The greater part of the standing forests thus purchased 

 by the State are still suffering from past mismanagement. 



During the course of the last thirty to forty years, however, 

 planting and the rational management of forests have been under- 

 taken in the treeless districts of Jcederen, near Stavanger, where an 

 area of about four square miles has been planted up, as well as in 

 other similar localities. Work of this kind has also been done by 

 private owners acting with State aid. 



The aggregate gross yield of the forests under State control for 

 the thirty-one years running from 1859 to 1890 amounted to about 

 £505,000, and the net yield to about £183,000. It is not quite 

 clear to what precise areas these figures relate, but they cannot, 

 apparently, represent more than a penny per acre per annum ! As 

 the condition of the State forests improves, their revenue will of 

 course increase ; but the numerous and troublesome privileges with 

 which they are burdened will always entail a costly management. 

 The capital value of these forests, without deduction for rights of 

 user, is estimated at somewhat over £1,000,000. 



It was not until the year 1857 that effective control over the State 

 forests was established, the attempts in this direction, made about 

 the middle of the eighteenth century, having soon been abandoned. 

 Forest Administration is now a branch of the Agricultural Depart- 

 ment. It is controlled by a Director, who has under his orders 

 a staff of 41 superior officers, with 358 overseers and rangers. 

 Valuation surveys and regular working plans have been commenced, 

 and commercial nurseries have been formed in several places. 



