Restrictive Measures. 263 



As early as the middle of the 16th century we find 

 attempts to arrest the devastation by regulating the ex- 

 port trade and supervising the sawmills, but probably 

 no result was obtained, and in 1795 at least, the unrea- 

 sonable obstructions to export were removed. The saw- 

 mill privileges, imder which English lumabermen held 

 large areas for long terms and devastated them without 

 regard to the impractical regulations, were not ended 

 until 1860. The wood industries were then relieved 

 entirely from restrictions, and forest destruction pro- 

 gressed even more rapidly with the increased facilities 

 for transportation. 



An abortive attempt at real forest management was 

 m^ade in the 18th century when the two famous German 

 foresters, von Langen and von Zanthier were called upon 

 to organize forest management in Sweden, Denmark and 

 Norway during the years 1736 to 1740. The depart- 

 ment which resulted from this visit was, however, aban- 

 doned in 1746, and Zanthier, who with 12 assistants had 

 organized it, returned to his country, the sole survivor, 

 the others having succumbed to scurvy. 



The first worthy modem effort at reform dates from 

 the Forest Act of 1863 which stopped the extension of 

 ruinous rights of user, and placed the management of 

 the State and other public forests under an effective 

 department. In 1892 the export from the three north- 

 western provinces which are only thinly forested was 

 prohibited, and m 1893 an act was passed enabling muni- 

 cipalities to protect themselves against destruction of 

 forests needed for protective purposes. 



Many of the State forests are so burdened with rights 

 of user, which were granted to help in developing the 



