THE LANDES OF GASCONY. l6l 



the national interest the export should be forbidden. The 

 policy was indeed one not worthy of a Government that had 

 the real State interests at heart. The increased price of resin 

 products was less than would be expected, and the value of 

 these when estimated in terms of the common necessities of life 

 show that it had not risen in price to the same extent as such 

 commodities as rye and millet. The immediate result of the 

 order was to discourage the cultivation of pine. Two orders 

 appear to have been published with this object of discouraging 

 export; one was issued in 17 14 and the other in 1776. The 

 orders were repeated later. Towards the latter date the creation 

 of an extensive fleet had given rise to an increased demand for 

 resin products, and the increased demand had caused a slight 

 rise in the prices. The price, however, does not seem to have 

 been of a figure that would greatly encourage the extension of 

 pine areas if revenue from invested capital was considered. 



In 1783, oil of turpentine made its first appearance on the 

 market at Dax. Up to this time it was not regarded as a 

 distinct commercial product that could be marketed. 



The study of the earlier laws of land tenure and land 

 acquisition throws a considerable amount of light on many of 

 the present-day problems in this pine area. It frequently 

 happened that, owing to the poverty of the owner and to his 

 mismanagement of his property, he found himself unable to 

 pay the taxes that were due from the land he held. A common 

 method of escaping from such an awkward position was to 

 abandon the land to the community, which then became liable 

 for the payment of the taxes. Such presents of land were not 

 regarded very favourably by the people. The point is im- 

 portant when considering the increased value of the same land 

 at a later date. An inhabitant of the community had the right 

 of appropriating for his own use a portion of the common land ; 

 the appropriation could be effected without payment for the 

 capital value of the land, but certain rights were always retained 

 by the community. The person who acquired the land then 

 became liable for payment of all taxes. In some cases a 

 certain payment for the land might be made, but as it was 

 possible to acquire without payment, allowance should be made 

 for the fact when comparing values paid at this time and at 

 later dates when it was no longer possible to acquire common 

 land without payment for the capital value. The existence of 



