282 Finland. 



when, through the exhaustion of the private forests 

 and increased wood prices, more intensive manage- 

 ment has become practicable. 



When the market is good, a clearing system with 

 100 to 160 year rotation is practised; on the clearings 

 about 20 seed trees are left, and after 6 years the 

 natural regeneration is repaired by planting. 



This latter method is especially prescribed on the 

 government farms. These form an interesting part 

 of the State property, some 900 small farms with 

 woodlots aggregating over 500,000 acres, mostly in 

 the southern districts. These came into existence 

 in the 17th and 18th centuries, being granted as fiefs 

 to officers of the army as their only compensation. 

 They reverted to the State and are rented for terms 

 of 50 years upon condition that the woods are to be 

 managed according to rules laid down by the State 

 department; and special inspectors are provided to 

 supervise this work. This system, in vogue since 

 1863, at first met with opposition on the part of the 

 renters on account of the impractical propositions of 

 the department. At present the department manages 

 many of these woodlots directly, as well as those which 

 the clergy have received in lieu of emoluments. 



Since 1883, a corps of forest surveyors has been 

 occupied in making working plans based upon diameter 

 accretion at the curiously selected height of 25 feet 

 from the ground. A commission was also instituted 

 some years ago to segregate forest and farm soils in 

 the State domain with a view of disposing of the 

 latter preparatory to improved management of the 

 remaining forest area. 



