State Forests. 375 



of the parliament was to be changed with the adminis- 

 tration. Under this management, graft became so 

 rampant that, in 1848, a committee of the House of 

 Commons was appointed, whose report revealed -the 

 most astonishing rottenness, placing a stigma on 

 government management such as we still uncover in 

 the United States from time to time. A reorganization 

 took place in 1851. At that time the royal forests 

 and parks, reduced in extent to about 200,000 acres, 

 showed a deficiency of $125,000, mostly, to be sure, 

 occasioned by the parks. There was then still a 

 tribute of some 600 bucks to be delivered to various 

 personages, as was the ancient usage. 



At present there are some 115,000 acres classed as 

 royal forest, but only 67,000 acres are really forest, 

 consisting of more or less mismanaged woods, under 

 the administration, not forest management of the 

 Commissioners of Woods and Forests, with Deputy 

 Surveyors in charge of the ranges. Although there 

 are a few notable exceptions in the management, it 

 is to be noted that the same stupid ignorance, which 

 introduced the clause into the Constitution of the 

 State of New York, was enacted into law in 1877 by 

 the English Parliament, forbidding in the New Forest 

 all cutting and planting. In 1900, there existed just 

 one planting plan, made by a professional forester, 

 namely, for a portion of the forest of Dean, while now 

 only two other State properties and two or three 

 private estates are managed under working plans. 



In 1887, a Committee appointed to inquire into the 

 administration of this property, expressed itself most 

 dissatisfied, but a Committee of Parliament in 1890 



