82 TRANSACTIONS OF IIOYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



CO-OPERATION OF THE COMMUNES. 



" Many communes have fulfilled the engagements which they 

 entered into on the occasion of ' coupes extraordinaires ' " (that is, 

 fellings above the " possibility " of the forests, admitted in conse- 

 quence of existing scarcity of wood, and in view of re-planting to 

 make up the deficiency); "others have constructed at great expense 

 ways of outlet for the passage of their wood, and devote to the 

 care of their forest properties a particular and constant attention, 

 on which we cannot but congratulate them, and cite them as 

 examples." 



Now, we do not mean to say that this has all been done from 

 pure and simple affection, or from pure and simple intelligence. 

 Human nature is everywhei'e much the same. And without 

 laws — ay, without strong and stringent laws (and the Swiss 

 government, as we shall presently see, leaves nothing to be desired 

 on this head), — human nature is nowhere uniformly sweet — no- 

 where uniformly intelligent. But in the apj)lication of the law 

 lies the test of wise administration. An ignorant, uneducated 

 people may be ruled by the gauntlet of steel pure and simple. 

 But if a government permit or encourage the education of its 

 people, the gauntlet must at any rate be masked nnder a silken 

 glove. And that government is most strong, which is least 

 demonstrative. That rule is most useful, which is least often 

 called into use. 



PERSONAL LIABILITY OF AUTHORITIES FOR ABUSES. 



We do not propose to inflict on our readers the phraseology of 

 the law, to bear out the statement we have above made. We will, 

 however, direct their particular attention to the 2}erso)ial liability 

 of every one in the country, for the proper administration of the 

 forests. 



Thus the State forest guards are enjoined to hand in, within 

 48 hours, oflicial complaints of all contraventions of the law 

 which occur within their beats. If they do not do so, they are 

 held liable for all the fines and punishments incurred by the 

 delinquents, without prejudice to other action. 



A subsequent article provides for the same proceeding, in the 

 case of guards appointed by the communes. 



While, going higher up the social scale, the members of a 



