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Property Conditions. 249 



the right of an increased cut for a stated number of years 

 at a modified price, after which the grant was to cease. 

 In 1900 there were still some 300,000 acres under such 

 grants. 



Xo wonder that under these circumstances the value of 

 the State forest property was in 1898 assessed at only 

 $1.60 per acre; the net income being $1,680,753, or 

 about 12 cents per acre; the expenditures for admin- 

 istration, supervision and forest school amounting to 

 $423,659, to which should be added an imdetermined 

 amount for the participation of the domain bureau, the 

 agricultural department and provincial governments, all 

 taking part in the forest administration. 



Many of the towns and country districts have received 

 donations of forest areas from the Crown, which have 

 been a considerable source of revenue to them. The 

 parish of Orsa, e. g., realized from its forest property 

 some 2.5 million dollars, and other similar results are 

 recorded. 



These communal forests comprise somewhat over one 

 million acres and are placed under management of 

 local committees, with the governor of the province as 

 chairman. The management consists in selling stump- 

 age of all trees over 13 inches in diam. 5 feet above 

 ground, to be cut by the purchaser under regulations. 



In the latter part of the 19th century, as the sawmill 

 industry expanded, many mill firms acquired wood-cut- 

 ting leases for 50 year terms, for prices which were often 

 realized from the forest in the first winter. At present 

 longer leases than for 20 years are prohibited by law. 

 The diameter limit of 12 inches, 18 or 20 feet above 

 ground, was usually the basis of the leases ; and as the 



