264 ECONOMICS OF FORESTRY. 



tree for every one cut, will appear rather ludi- 

 crous to those who have read the three preceding 

 chapters. 



How averse even European governments are to 

 restrictive measures may be learned from the man- 

 ner in which the Prussian law works ; where only 

 minor local interests are at stake, the prin- 

 ciple " de minimis non curat prater" prevails. 

 Whenever a property owner thinks or fears that 

 the mismanagement of his neighbor's property is 

 endangering his own property he may call for a 

 jury to view the case, and the state will interfere 

 according to the verdict, either forbidding absolute 

 clearing, or prescribing the manner in which the 

 property may be utilized ; the loss which, if any, 

 may accrue to the forest owner from this curtail- 

 ment of the free exercise of property rights may 

 be assessed on the complainant who is benefited, 

 as well as the cost of proceedings. 



For fiscal reasons only, a supervision over the 

 management of forest properties belonging to 

 communities, villages, and cities is exercised on 

 the same principle which is applied in preventing 

 communities from incurring debts beyond certain 

 limits determined by the state. This supervision 

 consists usually in the requirement that no perma- 

 nent clearing be made without special permission, 

 that the plans of management be submitted for 

 sanction by the government, and that approved 

 skilled foresters be employed. 



