292 Sweden. 



to hold on to the forest privileges, and by and 

 by exercised them by cutting and sawing lumber 

 for sale, or even by selling the forest areas as if they 

 were their properties; and in this way these properties 

 changed hands until suddenly the government began 

 to challenge titles, and commenced litigation, about 

 1896. 



Grants of certain log cutting privileges on govern- 

 ment lands were also made to sawmills in past times, 

 usually by allowing sawmillers to cut a certain number 

 of logs annually at a very low price. In 1870 these 

 grants, which were very lucrative, were modified 

 by substituting the right of an increased cut for a 

 stated number of years at a modified price, after 

 which the grant was to cease. In 1900, there were 

 still some 300,000 acres under such grants. 



No wonder that under these circumstances the 

 value of the State forest property was, in 1898, assessed 

 at only $1.60 per acre; the net income being $1,680,753, 

 or about 12 cents per acre; the expenditures for ad- 

 ministration, supervision, and forest school amount- 

 ing to $423,659, to which should be added an undeter- 

 mined amount for the participation of the domain 

 bureau, the agricultural department and provincial 

 governments, all taking part in the forest adminis- 

 tration. 



Many of the towns and country districts Qiaerad) 

 have received donations of forest areas from the 

 Crown, which have been a considerable source of 

 revenue to them. The parish of Orsa, e.g., realized 

 from its forest property some 2.5 million dollars, and 

 other similar results are recorded. 



