130 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



On Friday the 29th, a start was made to examine the forests 

 round about Gerardmer, and as these are in the immediate 

 vicinity of the town, the outing was accomplished on foot. 



The State and Communal forests round this beautiful 

 mountain town extend to over 14,000 acres, about 2300 acres of 

 which belong to the commune or municipality, and these were 

 the first visited. The crop is composed of 58 per cent, of 

 Norway spruce, 40 per cent, of silver fir, and 2 per cent, of 

 beech. 



It appears that such forests belonging to communes as can be 

 worked on a regular system are managed directly by the State 

 Forest Department for the benefit of their owners, the principal 

 features of this management being as follows, viz. : — 



The laws relating to State forests are applicable to them ; they 

 cannot be alienated or cleared without the express sanction of 

 the Government in each case ; they cannot be divided among the 

 members of the community ; the annual sales of produce are 

 effected by the State forest officers, and the money realised is 

 paid directly by the purchasers into the communal treasury. 

 Before sales take place, the quantity of timber and firewood 

 required by the inhabitants for their own use is made over to 

 them, usually standing in the forest, and the distribution of 

 firewood is made according to the number of heads of families 

 having a real and fixed domicile in the commune. Grazing is 

 regulated by strict laws, and is forbidden altogether in a number 

 of communes. 



The State defrays all expenses of management, and is 

 reimbursed by the payment from the communal treasury of 

 a sum equal to 5 per cent, on the sales of the principal 

 produce, including the value of the wood made over to the 

 inhabitants. 



The communes pay the guards' salaries, the taxes, and all 

 charges for the maintenance and improvement of the forest. 



In managing communal property, the forest officers are bound 

 to act on the principle that they are managing it for the benefit 

 of its owners, who must be consulted through their representatives, 

 the mayor and the municipal council, whenever a new working- 

 plan is made or an old one is revised. The wishes of the 

 commune are then communicated to the Forest Department by 

 the prefect, who alone can act through Government in opposition 

 to the Forest Department. 



