FORESTRV^COMMISSIONER. 115 



The annual aggregate expense of administration of the 

 forest amounts to $i, 183,574. Of this 1364, 140 is paid 

 to wood-cutters, $147,560 is expended on roads, $90,440 

 in forest culture, 1259,468 for pay of officials, $148,468 for 

 forest guards. The revenue was $2,928,352, yielding a 

 net revenue, after for 1895-1896 deducting all expendi- 

 tures, of $1,744,788, or $3.63 per acre. The number of 

 acres annually sown to forest is 296, and the number of 

 acres planted to forest 6,177. 



About one-fifth of the state forests is regenerated from 

 self-sown seed, whilst the remaining four-fifths are regen- 

 erated by the planting of seedlings. 



It is a principle to maintain (as far as the division of 

 the age of the plantings permit) an equal annual cutting. 

 At present the cutting is fixed at 1.94 cubic meters per 

 acre. The cutting is contracted for with laborers living 

 in the neighborhood of the woods. By good management 

 there are at a given plot generally trees of about the same 

 age. If the natural seed falling is intended to be used, 

 the larger trees, either single or in crops, are cut out in a 

 direction against the prevailing winds; the remaining trees 

 are thinned and gradually cut out as the growing young 

 trees may demand. If the natural seed falling is not 

 taken into consideration, the wood crop is cut clean in 

 narrow strips, also in a direction against the prevailing 

 winds, and the cutting of the second and following strips 

 is postponed until the young plantings can dispense with 

 the side protection of the old woods. It is a principle 

 that replanting follows immediately after the cuttings. 



The Government officer, in forestry, has placed in his 

 charge about 3300 acres of state forests, in addition to the 

 management of, approximately, 2700 acres of communal 

 forests. The State Forest officer, at the same time, is 

 placed in charge of the forest policy of the state, under 



