Development of Forest Policy. 345 



years or else to sell, was revived, extending the term 

 of obligatory reforestation in the endangered sections 

 to ten years. By that time, out of 800,000 acres 

 originally declared as requiring reforestation, not 

 more than 40,000 acres had been planted, but the 

 acreage involved had also been gradually scaled down 

 by the forest committees to 240,000 acres. The re- 

 port, on the other hand, found that the area needing 

 reboisement was at least 500,000 acres, requiring an 

 expenditure of 12 million dollars. The law of 1877 

 did not contemplate enforced reforestation of ban- 

 forests; it sought to accomplish this by empowering 

 either the Department of Agriculture or the provinces 

 or the communities or special associations to expro- 

 priate for the purpose of reforestation. Results were 

 nil. 



A revision and broadening of the law led to the 

 general reboisement act of 1888,* which has in view 

 the correction of torrents, fixing of mountain slopes 

 and sand dunes one of the best laws of its kind in 

 existence anywhere. 



The principal features of the law are: obligatory 

 reboisement of mountains and sand dunes according 

 to plans, and under direction of the Department of 

 Agriculture, the areas to be designated by the depart- 

 ment, with approval or disapproval of the forest com- 

 mittees; contribution to the extent of two-fifths 

 (finally raised to two-thirds) of the expense by the 

 government; expropriation where owners do not con- 

 sent, or fail to carry out the work as planned; right 

 to reclaim property by payment of costs and interest, 



*For details see Fernoiv, in Garden and Forest, 1888, page 417. 



