Ownership. 287 



coppice (ceduo), 50 per cent, under selection system 

 (a scelta) and 10 per cent under clearing system 

 (ad alto fusto ), althongli management hardly exists ex- 

 cept in small groves. 



That supply of workwood is insuflBcient for the needs 

 of the population, and decreasing, is attested by the fact 

 that the importations more than doubled in the decade 

 from 1892 to 1903 to near 14 million dollars, 80 per 

 cent, of which was saw material, while neariy 5 million 

 dollars' worth was exported in the last named year, 

 t* mostly cork, casks, thin boxboards, olive wood manufac- 

 tures, and charcoal. IS'o better picture of the forest con- 

 ditions can be had than by a statement of the home 

 production which in 1886 (last official data) was placed 

 at 48 million cubic feet of workwood, valued at 3.4 

 million dollars, 223 million cubic feet firewood, valued 

 at 4.1 million, 106 million cubic feet charcoal, worth 3.6 

 million, and by-products to the large amount of 6.4 

 million dollars, altogether a little less than 17.6 million 

 dollars. Firewood and charcoal, which represent over 

 80 per cent, of the product, are, of course, furnished by 

 coppice, and in addition by the pollarded material, 

 almost the only fuel to be had. 



The ownership of the forest area is for the greater pari; 

 private (53 per cent.) and communal (over 43 per 

 cent.), the State owning less than 4 per cent. The State 

 properiy being so small, supervision of communal and 

 private forest has become the policy. 



The State forest is of two classes, the alienable, under 

 the Department of Finance, the larger part, about 375- 

 000 acres, and the inalienable, so declared by law of 

 1871, of about 115,000 acres, which is under a forest 



