262 Norway. 



elm occTirring sporadically, and White Birch being 

 ubiquitous. 



Forest property developed on the same lines as in 

 Sweden and in other European countries, hence we find 

 State, communal, and private property. 



When in the ninth century the commons were de- 

 clared the property of the Iring, the rights of user, both 

 to wood and grazing, were retained by the m'drher, and 

 the so-called State commons (almenninger) remain to 

 date encumbered by these rights, similar to conditions 

 in Sweden. From the end of the 17th to the middle of 

 the 19th century it was the policy of the kings to dispose 

 of these commons whenever their exchequer was low, and 

 the best of these lands became, by purchase, prop- 

 erty of the districts (bygdealmenning) , provinces, city 

 and village corporations. 



At present the State owns, largely in the northern 

 districts, somewhat over 2 million acres, of which half 

 a million consists of encumbered commons; the district 

 commons comprise 460,000 acres, and private proper- 

 ties, together with institute forests, represent about 85% 

 of the total. 



By the middle of the 17th century the coast forest of 

 oak had been cut out by Dutch and English wood mer- 

 chants who had obtained logging privileges. There are 

 records which would make it appear that at least some 

 of the now denuded coast was forested in olden times. 

 The development of the iron industry increased the 

 drain on these supplies, which forest fires, insects and 

 excessive grazing prevented from recuperating. 



