306 Mediterranean Peninsulas. 



time the best managed forest; the southern, the richest 

 in farm lands, with semi-tropic climate and flora. 



The entire forest area is only 640,000 acres or 3 per 

 cent, of the land area. By including brushwood this 

 may be increased to a million acres. Of the forest area 

 80 per cent, is coniferous (Pinus pinaster and pinea), 

 and 20 per cent, cork oak and other oaks, mixed with 

 chestnut. An export of 5 million dollars worth of 

 cork is the best developed industry, besides a consider- 

 able naval store production. The oak forest is largely 

 used for hog raising. 



The State property comprises only 80,000 acres, and 

 this includes over 30,000 acres of sand dunes in process 

 of recovery. The first attempt at management of this 

 property dates from 1868 ; a regular organization, how- 

 ever, did not take place until 1872, when, imder the 

 Director-General of Commerce and Industries, a forest 

 administrator with a technical staff of three division 

 chiefs, corresponding to the three sections of country, 

 and six forestmasters were installed. 



The only really well managed forest, the pride of the 

 Portuguese foresters, is the forest of Leiria in Estre- 

 madura, a planted pinery of about 25,000 acres, with 

 naval store distilleries, impregnating works, and saw 

 mills. 



Besides attending to the management of the State 

 forests, a committee composed of the administrator and 

 some of the technical staff, were to examine the country 

 and decide what parts needed reforestation. As a result 

 of a very full report, in 1882, a reboisement law was en- 

 acted under which some of the sand dunes were fixed. 



Tn 1903 a more thorough organization of this workj 



