120 THE FOREST LANDS OF NORTHERN RUSSIA. 



sawn timbers had to be taken in barges to the ships some 

 distance out at sea. The mill was worked by steam-power 

 fuel being abundantly supplied by the saw-dust and 

 wood unfit for shipping, with still enough remaining to 

 have supplied firewood enough for the town of Kern, 

 which was about six or seven miles distant. 



' Tar is to some extent extracted from the debris of 

 felled trees, but it scarcely pays for the manufacture. As 

 a rule the debris is left to rot, as there no market for any 

 products that might be obtained from it. 



' By the terms of the contract the debris was to be 

 removed from the ground, but the utter usefulness of it 

 makes it more profitable to pay the Government's inspector, 

 and keep on good terms with him, and then it rots where 

 it is left, and he does not notice it. 



' As a rule the people will not cut any trees more than 

 12 vershocks in diameter, so that such trees wherever they 

 may be found are left standing. They seek for trees that 

 will give 11 inch, planks, 3 inches thick, 21 feet long. 

 Sometimes, I think frequently, they hew trees which will 

 give two such lengths. One reason for leaving the thicker 

 trees is that they are generally rotten at the heart, 

 another is that frames are not made to saw larger timber. 

 The wood was red pine. Their contract was only to fell 

 timber wherever they found it profitable over a very con- 

 siderable area. They had nothing to do with replanting, 

 nor do they know whether any means were taken for that 

 purpose. Nor did my informant know anything of how 

 the trees stood on the ground, as he never saw them, nor 

 did he see any on his journey to the place where the mill 

 stood. It is a very profitable speculation. The cost of a 

 tree at the mill might be about 1 or 1J roubles, but when 

 sawn up into planks would be worth on the spot from 4 to 

 5 roubles. 



' One reason why this affair did not turn out successful 

 was this : It is usual in these contracts for clearing the 

 ground for the Government to receive so much for each 



