278 FORESTRY IN FRANCE. 
exceptions, successfully oppose the clearance, if the maintenance of 
the woods is desirable on any of the following grounds, viz. :— 
1st. To protect mountain slopes. 
2d. To protect the soil from erosion, and to prevent en- 
croachments by rivers, streams, or torrents. 
3d. To preserve springs and water courses. 
4th. To protect coasts against erosion by the sea, and the 
encroachments of moving sand. 
5th. For the defence of the national frontier. 
6th. For sanitary reasons. 
The Minister of Agriculture decides whether the clearance may 
be made or not. Between the years of 1828 and 1884, sanction 
has been accorded to the clearing of 1795 square miles of private 
woodlands, but there is no record showing what proportion of 
this area has actually been cleared ; and it is known that sanction 
is sometimes obtained, merely to give an enhanced value to 
the property, by the removal of restrictions on it. It is worthy 
of remark, however, that while the average area of which the 
clearance was annually authorised, during the whole period above 
mentioned, amounted to 20,160 acres, the average during the last 
ten years was 5404 acres, and during the last five years it was 
only 3731 acres. These figures seem to show that woods are 
acquiring an increased value in France, and that they are cleared 
for cultivation to a less extent than formerly. 
It has already been said that there is a special law relating to 
the forests of the Maures and Esterel, where fires are systematically 
lighted in order to get rid of the injurious undergrowth ; and that, 
under it, private proprietors in those regions are only permitted to 
light forest fires at certain seasons, while they are compelled to cut 
fire-lines round all woods which are not completely cleared of in- 
flammable shrubs. The manner in which the laws relating to the 
consolidation of mountain slopes, and the planting of the dunes, 
affect private owners, has also been briefly explained in a previous 
chapter. 
What has already been said regarding the systems of culture 
generally adopted for the State and communal forests respectively, 
will lead to the correct conclusion, that those belonging to private 
owners, are, as a rule, treated as simple coppice, or coppice under 
standards, private high-forest being usually composed of coniferous 
trees, and situated in mountainous regions, But many of the forests 
that have been planted in the plains of the Landes, Salogne, and 
