2 TRANSACTIONS OF KOYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



approved by the Minister of Agriculture, and framed on the prin- 

 ciple that they are required to give a constant annual yield for 

 ever. Consequently no portion of them can be disforested. But 

 the private forests, about one-half of which are owned by a small 

 number of proprietors, some of whose immense domains cover 

 many square miles, are, unless they have been declared " Forests of 

 Protection " under the law, worked according to the wish of the 

 owner, who, however, may not disforest any portion of them which 

 grows on a purely forest soil — that is to say, a soil which is in- 

 capable of being profitably cultivated, either as fields, gardens, or 

 vineyards, or of being used as meadow land. 



Section 2 of the law includes, under the head of Forests of Pro- 

 tection, all forests which are situated in high mountain regions, on 

 loose stony soil, alpine plateaux, peaks, ridges, or steep slopes ; 

 also those which serve as a protection against landslips, inundations, 

 and avalanches, and the removal of which would involve injury 

 either to land or to lines of communication situated below them, 

 as well as those which serve as a shelter against dangerous storms. 

 The law provides that, within five years of its promulgation, a list 

 of all such forests must be prepared; that they must all be demar- 

 cated ; and that, no matter to whom they belong, they must be 

 worked in accordance with the provisions either of a working plan, 

 or of rules ajjproved by the Minister of Agriculture. 



The area of the State forests was much larger in former years 

 than it is now — a loss of 20 per cent, having been experienced 

 since 1878. This is mainly due to the commutation of rights, 

 many of which have been got rid of by the surrender of land given 

 ill exchange for them ; but there is still a good deal to do in this 

 direction, though not nearly so much as has already been accom- 

 plished. The diminution from this cause of the area of the State 

 forests between 1880 and 1884 amounted to 1427 square miles. 

 The following areas are administered by the Forest Department, in 

 addition to the State forests (5553 square miles) shown above, viz. : 



