Early Methods of Administration. 213 



2. Development of Forest Administration. 



In the earlier times, and, indeed, into the 18th 

 century, the most important use of the forest was in 

 the mast from oak and beech for the pigs and 

 pasture for the cattle, besides firewood, for which 

 mostly the soft woods were used. This was given 

 free from the royal domain, and the administration 

 consisted mainly in regulating this use. The main 

 incentive for the regulation of forest use on the part 

 of the king were the interests of the chase. 



Towards the end of the ninth century, special 

 forest officers, forestarii, are mentioned in Charle- 

 magne's celebrated capitulariiim, which describes 

 in detail the administration of the public domains. 

 These were, to be sure, only lower rank officials, 

 working under mayors, intendants and the count 

 {comes), who was the administrator and soon inde- 

 pendent arbiter of the royal domain as well as of the 

 administration of justice in general. His office early 

 became hereditary. 



The first mention of "forest masters" (maitres 

 des eaux et forets) dates back to 1291, and later ordi- 

 nances mention higher officials. But the credit for 

 a full and detail organization and regulation of 

 management belongs to Charles V, the wise Valois, 

 in his ordinance of 1376. This organization, after 

 various changes, by the end of the 16th century, under 

 the reign of Henry IV, took about the following form: 



Under a general superintendent of forests, titulary 

 head of the forest service, a number of grands maitres, 

 generaux reformateurs des eaux et forets, some 17, were 



