STUMPAGE PRICES 



311 



varies widely with the size. For example the official price for oak in the 

 Meuse department in October, 1918, was as follows: 



These prices are about 30 per cent to 50 per cent over the pre-war rate. 

 The price of beech is usually about two-thirds that of oak and the 

 larger the size the more marked is the difference in price. 



Before the war cordwood was difficult to dispose of and all the small 

 material (charbonnette) was made into charcoal before it could be moved 

 from the forest. During the war the coal shortage doubled and tripled 

 prices. In the Haute-Marne the averages for all State hardwood-fuel 

 sales on the stump were as follows : 



These prices are typical of average conditions in France; most of the 

 salable fuel comes from the tops of hardwood trees or from coppice. 

 Softwood cordwood has but little value in the Landes or in the mountains. 

 Near the large towns the prices in the above table may be largely ex- 

 ceeded. The American E. F. settled most of its cordwood purchases 

 from State or communal forests at 9 francs per stere for quartier, 6 francs 

 for rondin, and 3 francs for charbonnette. A large purchase in the Cote 

 d'Or was recommended for settlement at a flat rate of 5.50 francs per 

 stere ($3.80 per cord). This was about double the 1914 rates. 46 



There has been much speculation regarding future French prices. 

 Unquestionably in the general market prices will fall to the level estab- 

 lished by the cost of imports and will be below war rates, but much 



48 It should be noted that the early 1919 exchange rate was 5.80 francs to one dollar; 

 toward the end of 1919 it was 10 to 11> francs to the dollar, but all conversions have 

 been made on the normal value of the franc, 19.3 cents. 



