FORESTS ON THE DNIEPER. 185 



fellings in the government of Volhinia were much more 

 limited than in the governments of Kovno, Grodno, and 

 partly Minsk; and generally the dealers in forest products 

 were very little known in Volhinia, and did not risk to 

 make in it great purchases. When the demand for abroad 

 increased, then in the forests of the governments of 

 Grodno, Kovno, and partly Minsk, so long worked, they had 

 to make fellings in places little convenient for meeting this 

 demand, which had a tendency to raise prices for the tim- 

 ber destined to be taken out of the country. This rise of 

 prices in connection with the cheap and great sales of 

 wood, and there being no increased demand for labour in 

 the government of Volhinia, afforded a means to a few 

 wood dealers well acquainted with the forests of the 

 government of Volhinia to make great profits. But 

 such a state of affairs did not continue long ; it soon 

 changed to the detriment of the wood dealers. In the 

 meantime the rumours of the profits had become 

 known, and many hastened to take part in the wood trade, 

 or to increase the business in it. When by this means 

 the decreasing demand on the one side, and the increased 

 offers of sale on the other, lowered the prices, some hastened 

 to sell, others held, and in consequence of this the different 

 results to the dealers became extreme. Many that 

 waited for a more propitious time lost ; those that hurried 

 to sell received less profit than in former years ; and finally 

 those who bought woods in time, and managed to make 

 a sale before the advent of this unusual state of 

 the wood trade, gained considerable profit. Such varia- 

 tions in the wood trade during the last five years has been 

 reflected on the income of the crown forests. In 1857 the 

 revenue from the crown forests was 11,588 roubles, which 

 increasing gradually, attained in 1861 to 42,215 roubles 

 for sale of timber only ; and in 18G2 it fell to 36,753 

 roubles; in 1863 to 28,591 roubles; but in 1864 it com- 

 menced to rise, and attained to 40,000 roubles ; in 1865, 

 62,000 roubles ; and in 1866, 79,000 roubles ; so that two 

 triennial periods (from 1861 to 1863, and from 1864 to 



