288 Italy. 



administration in the Department of Agriculture; but 

 of this about 20 per cent, is not forest, and even in 1896, 

 some of this small area was sold. This area is to 

 serve for demonstration of model management, and to 

 supply government needs. Beech and oak with fir, pine 

 and larch, mostly in timber forest, characterize this 

 property, which is managed mostly in selection system. 

 Curiously enough, in 1888, the difficulty of disposing ad- 

 vantageously of the old timber is complained of, due to 

 lack of means of transportation. The personnel of the 

 administration consists of a central bureau with one In- 

 spector General, three Inspectors, and a Council. For 

 each province, and in some cases for two or more prov- 

 inces together, an Inspector with several Sub-inspectors 

 and a number of guards or irigadieri are charged with 

 the management of the State property and the enforce- 

 ment of the forest laws. 



2. Development of Forest Policy. 



For centuries, since the fall of the Eoman Empire 

 (476 A. D.) until the end of the eighteenth century, 

 Italy has been the victim of war and strife with neigh- 

 bors or within its borders, being divided into numberless 

 commonwealths, almost each city being independent. 

 Hence no economic improvements could take place 

 until, under the influences of the French Eevolution, the 

 regeneration period began. Not, however, until the 

 seven or eight states which the Congress of Vienna 

 (1815) had established were moulded into one united 

 Italy under Victor Emmanuel, during the years 1859 to. 

 1870, could an effective reconstruction be inaugurated.] 



It is true that some of the republics in earlier times] 



