Slavish Countries. 323 



developed conditions have largely prevented enforce- 

 ment of these laws, and rough exploitation continues 

 in spite of the nominal State control. 



Owing to inaccessibility of many of the agricul- 

 tural districts to the wooded mountains, a large im- 

 port was necessary, but lately export almost equals 

 the import, and indeed the export of walnut has in- 

 creased fourteenfold in a few years. The forest ad- 

 ministration is vested in a bureau under the Minister 

 of Commerce and Agriculture, with a chief, an in- 

 spector general, and two assistant chiefs. When it 

 is stated that in 1905 the entire budget for forestry 

 was $150,000, the inefficiency of the service is apparent. 



Servia, a kingdom with 19,000 square miles and 

 2,000,000 people, has over 42 per cent, (five million 

 acres according to others only 32%) still in un- 

 touched forest, with valuable oak and walnut, the 

 forest being mainly used for hograising. Over 36% 

 is State forest, over 43% communal and institutional 

 forest, leaving about 20% in private hands; but, just 

 as in Bulgaria, property conditions are still somewhat 

 unsettled. Like Bulgaria also on account of the 

 uneven distribution of forest area, lack of transporta- 

 tion and systematic development a large part of 

 the population are more cheaply supplied by importa- 

 tion, which amounts to near one million dollars. 

 Curiously enough, by the law of 1891 only the wood 

 cut from State and church forests could be exported 

 free of duty. This export duty was abolished in 

 1904, and the first attempt was made by the Minister 

 of Agriculture to bring order into the forest adminis- 

 tration by importing German foresters. 



lla 



