302 Spain. 



upon graduation and four years' service in the forest 

 department as assistants, besides the performance of 

 some meritorious work. The school stands in close re- 

 lation to the department service. 



The first work of the new administration was a gen- 

 eral forest survey to ascertain conditions, and especially 

 to determine which of the public forests, under the laws 

 of 1855 and 1859, it was desirable to retain. The in- 

 vestigation showed that there was more forest (defined 

 as in the above classification) than had been supposed, 

 but that it was in even worse condition than had been 

 known. The public forests, i. e., those owned by the State, 

 the communities and public institutions, were divided 

 into three classes according to the species by which 

 formed, which was the easiest way of determining their 

 location as regards altitude, and their public value; 

 namely, the coniferous forest and deciduous oak and 

 chestnut forests, which were declared inalienable; the 

 forests of ash, alder, willow, etc., naturally located in 

 the. lower levels, therefore without interest to the state, 

 which were declared salable; and an intermediate third 

 class composed of cork oak and evergreen oak, whose 

 status as to propriety of sale was left in doubt. In 1862 

 a revision of this classification left out this doubtful 

 class, adding it and the forest areas of the first class 

 which were not at least 250 acres in extent to the salable 

 property. The first class, which was to be reserved, was 

 found to comprise nearly 17 million acres (of which 1.2 

 million was owned by the State), while the salable 

 property was found to be about half that area. 



Ever since, a constant wrangle and commotion has 

 been kept up regarding the classification, and repeated 



