Administration. 281 



but it contains about 15 million acres of bogs and moors 

 and much other waste land, which reduces the produc- 

 tive forest area to about 12 million acres (35%), leaving 

 65% of the productive forest area to private ownership. 



This State forest was divided (1896) into 53 dis- 

 tricts, the districts being aggregated into 8 inspec- 

 tions, and the whole service placed under a central 

 office with a forest director and 5 assistants under 

 immediate control of the Senate. ' The forest guards 

 numbered 750, their ranges averaging 50,000 acres, 

 while the districts average 600,000 acres and several 

 contain as high as 2.5 million acres; the Forstmeister 

 in charge may live sometimes 200 miles from the 

 nearest town and 60 miles from the nearest road. 

 His function is mainly to protect the property, to 

 supervise the cutting and sales, and to teach the 

 people the need of conservative methods. In spite 

 of this insufficient service, considerable reduction in 

 forest fires and theft has been attained. 



Beyond restriction of waste by axe and fire, and 

 conservative lumbering of the State forest, positive 

 measures for reproduction have hardly yet been 

 introduced, both personnel and wood values being 

 insufficient for more intensive management. 



At present, with a cut hardly exceeding 100 million 

 cubic feet, the revenue is still almost nominal, say 

 $600,000, and hardly the annual growth is cut. 



Selection forest is, of course, the rule, but since no 

 trees are marked and cut less than 10 inch diameter 

 at 25 feet from the ground (!), at least the possibility 

 for improved management will not be destroyed 



