480 DISPOSAL AND SALE OF WOOD. 



tions for the expected timber. In France and in many forest 

 ranges of Prussia, Baden, Bavaria, etc., such notices are now 

 issued regularly. 



11. Means of Transport. 



The great influence which the available means of transport 

 has on wood-prices is well known, and has been already 

 referred to. All unwise economy in providing good means of 

 transport depresses prices, and improvement in this respect 

 should be one of the first objects of the forest-owner. 



Every intelligent forest-owner will endeavour to reduce the 

 cost of transport from his forest. The forester therefore lays- 

 out new roads, improves old ones, regulates floating-channels, 

 constructs slides, sledge-roads or tramways ; establishes depots 

 on the banks of streams and canals and at railway-stations ; 

 he will see to the drying and seasoning of his wood, and in 

 certain cases will convert his timber and split his firewood in 

 the forest. 



He should not be too narrow-minded in allowing the public 

 use of the forest-roads. If a forest is to be lucrative, its roads 

 should be always open, provided they communicate with the 

 general network of public roads. The higher cost of repairs 

 will be recovered fully by the improved means of transport. 



Of immense importance, in this respect, is the proximity of 

 railroads to the forests. Keduction of railway-rates for wood, 

 and introduction of railways into the forests are vital interests 

 to forest-owners, which they, in conjuction with the timber- 

 trade, should use every possible means to secure. 



[In Britain, this question is complicated by the fact that 

 railway companies grant through rates for timber and other 

 produce from their ports to the large inland towns, that are 

 actually less than rates from intermediate places between the 

 port and the place of destination of the timber. In this way 

 foreign timber is favoured unduly. Tr.] 



For owners of extensive forests, provided that silvicultural 

 requirements are not infringed, it is generally justifiable to 

 entrust the transport of forest produce to contractors, as 

 generally they can work more expeditiously and cheaply than 

 large owners, and especially than the State. 



