Government Service. 305 



tion, 50 chief engineers or district managers, 185 assist- 

 ants, and 342 foresters and guards, the latter now ap- 

 pointed by the department, instead of the Governors, 

 and not all, as formerly, chosen from veteran soldiers. 



In 1901 the Servicio Hidrological Forestal, the re- 

 boisement service, was also placed on a new footing, the 

 country being divided into ten districts for this purpose, 

 and an engineer placed in charge of each. 



Since 1896, popular education is attempted through 

 Arbor days, various associations fostering the idea, and, 

 in 1904, La Fiesta del Arhol was made a national holi- 

 day, and premiums are distributed for plantations made 

 on that day. 



The Revista de Montes, a semi-oflBcial monthly jour- 

 nal, began its publication in 1877, and serves the pur- 

 pose of propaganda, as well as the professional needs. 

 A considerable book literature is also developed. 



PORTUGAL 



The small kingdom which occupies the west coast 

 of the Iberian peninsula, with 36,000 square miles 

 and 6 million people, is in many respects similar to 

 Spain, except that a larger portion is fertile, being situ- 

 ated in the litoral region, the climate less excessive, and 

 the people somewhat more enterprising, Not much more 

 than one-half of the country, however, is utilized. 



Three sections are recognized, the northern, which is 

 mainly moimtainous and contains extensive sand dunes, 

 is the best wooded; the central, which is hilly and less 

 well wooded, contains (in Estremadura and Beira) one 

 of the most desolate regions of Europe and at the same 



