Organization. 325 



oak and beech is the prevailing type occupying the 

 middle altitudes and the hill country. The private 

 forest of small owners is being rapidly depleted, only 

 the State forest and that of large proprietors being in 

 good condition. 



In 1863, when the cloister property was secularized 

 and taken over by the state, the rights of user in this 

 property were suspended, and sales at auction to 

 contractors were inaugurated, under condition that 

 a certain number of seed trees per acre be left. There 

 was little enforcement of this rule. 



The first comprehensive law organizing the State 

 property and inaugurating a protective policy was 

 enacted in 1881. This law recognized State, Royal 

 and Communal property as of public concern, and 

 also placed such private property under supervision 

 as was situated on steep slopes, near watercourses, 

 and near the boundaries (of strategic importance). 

 These areas, coming under the protective policy, 

 comprise 84 per cent, of the whole forest area. They 

 were not to be cleared except by special permit, and 

 not to be exploited except under specially approved 

 working plans. 



In 1885, three French foresters were called in to 

 organize a State forest department and to inaugurate 

 the making of working plans. The personnel (25 

 inspectors and 89 district officers) being insufficient, 

 and wood prices low (the income from state property 

 being not over $400,000), the progress of the work was 

 slow. Although, in 1894, the income had doubled, 

 the administrative forces had not been enlarged to 

 any great extent (137 foresters of various grades), 



