REPORT ON THE EXCURSION TO FRANCE. 1 27 



than it is now, large areas of very poor land were put under 

 cultivation, with the result that to-day, owing to the low prices 

 obtainable for agricultural produce, much of it has again been 

 allowed to become waste, while a fair proportion of it is being 

 afforested. Where this is being done, Austrian pine is planted 

 on the poorest limestone soil, and in other places beech is sown, 

 the mast in many instances being sown along with a crop of 

 corn. In deeper and slightly more fertile soil, larch and spruce 

 are planted. The plants used for this purpose are generally 

 2-year seedlings, and they are put at distances of about 3^ feet 

 (i metre) apart. The cost of planting is given at 80 francs per 

 hectare, or about 25s. 4d, per imperial acre. 



The average revenue and expenditure from this forest during 

 the last 10 years are officially given as under: — 



Revenue — • 



Principal produce, 646,360 cubic feet, at . ^7302 

 Secondary produce, ..... 436 



Total, . ■ ^7738 



Expenditure — 



Including New Works, Works of Mainten- 

 ance, and Supervision, . . . £()T2 



On the 28th, an early start was made by train for the V'osges, 

 Raon I'Etdpe being reached about 6.30 a.m. After a pleasant 

 drive of an hour and a half through a beautiful and well-wooded 

 district, the forest of Ellieux, at Celles, was reached, the forest 

 guards being also in waiting to conduct the party through the 

 forest. Long before our destination was reached, it was obvious 

 that forestry of a very different kind from that seen in the 

 vicinity of Nancy was to be met with here. For miles around, 

 the steep slopes of the mountains are densely covered with silver 

 fir, while a few patches of Norway spruce, and still fewer of 

 Scots pine, were discernible among the glossy foliage of the 

 silvers. 



Before starting to explore the forest, the system upon which 

 this particular block is being worked was explained, and 

 information was given as to the altitude and nature of the soil. 



It is situated at an elevation varying from 1300 to 2600 feet 

 above sea-level, and stands on the red sandstone characteristic 



