126 



THE FORESTS OF FINLAND 



mentally, i.e. felling and converting the trees in the 

 forest itself and selling the converted material on the 

 spot to purchasers. The D epartment appears to favour 

 this method. But, except in abnormal circumstances, 

 experience has shown, in other places where the 

 method has been tried, that the trouble entailed usually 

 so ties the hands of the staff that necessary inspection 

 and protective work and the proper sylvicultural care 

 of the forests are sacrificed, to the ultimate detriment 

 of the woods themselves, although doubtless at the 

 time a greater revenue is made. The departmental 

 work in this instance is undertaken to supply Govern- 

 ment Railways with sleepers and fuel for the engines, 

 and with material for the three existing Government 

 saw-mills. 



The following table for the twelve years 1898 to 1909 

 shows the numbers of stems sold at the main public 

 auctions, the sales at these furnishing the best indica- 

 tion of the prices obtained for large-sized timber and 

 of the increased demand during the period : 



