54 PROTECTION AGAINST MAN. 



compensation to owners or tenants of land bordering on a 

 forest, for damage done to their crops by any excessive head of 

 game which may be preserved in the forest. They should also 

 fix a minimum limit to the area on which a man may claim the 

 exclusive right of shooting on his own land ; this is especially 

 required in countries where landed property is much subdivided. 

 Such a limit is 25 hectares (62 \ acres) in Germany, but owners 

 of such small areas may combine with others to form shooting 

 syndicates. In French State-forests, sporting leases generally 

 run for nine years, the lessee having to pay for any wire-fences 

 that may be required to protect the young growth. 



Fisheries are also regulated by laws. In France, since 1897, 

 the preservation and control of fisheries in all State non-tidal 

 waters, have been placed under the State Forest Department, 

 which is styled "Administration des Eaux et Forets." 



Their plan of operations over 342 miles of canals and 

 canalised rivers, and 210 miles of other rivers that belong to 

 the State, is : 



1. To form reserved waters where fish can freely propa- 

 gate. On other streams, private fishing rights prevent State 

 interference. 



2. Rewards are offered to fishery guards and to forest 

 guards for protecting natural breeding-places of fish and for 

 establishing new ones, for killing otters and other fish-enemies, 

 for protecting streams against netting by driving stakes into 

 river-beds. 



3. Fish-ladders are erected. 



4. Live fish are bred in special piscicultural establishments 

 and are placed in State streams, lakes, and grounds. They 

 are also distributed to private fishery owners. 



5. Crayfish have died out to a large extent in France from 

 disease, and fresh crayfish are imported and placed in the 

 rivers. 



6. Pisciculture is taught at the National Forest School, at 

 Nancy, where a special piscicultural laboratory and breeding 

 establishment is maintained, the latter in the adjoining forest 

 of Haye. 



