151 



of the total wooded surface of France. It is probable that at the present time 

 the private woodlands are being somewhat added to, rather than reduced, for it 

 is believed that the areas annually planted up or sown exceed in extent those 

 which are cleared. The private forests are not entirely free from State control ; 

 while at the same time they are protected by the legislation almost in the same 

 manner and to the same extent as are the State and communal forests. For 

 instance, private owners, in common with the government and the communes, 

 enj*>y the power to free their forests from wood-rights by making over a portion 

 of the ground to the right-holders in lieu thereof. Grazing rights can only be 

 exercised in those parts of them which are declared by the forest department to 

 be out of danger from the entrance of cattle, and the number of animals can be 

 limited with reference to the supply of grass, while no right can exist to graze 

 sheep or goats in them. Owners have also the power to free their forests of all 

 rights, except those of wood, by the payment of compensation ; and speaking 

 generally, it maybe said that the}'' have the same protection against injury to 

 their prope-ty by right-holders as is enjoyed by the State and the communes. 

 The law also places them in the same position as regards the punishment of 

 forest offences, including trespass by persons carrying cutting tools, cattle tres- 

 pass, and the lighting or carrying of fire in or near the forests, with a claim to 

 damages for injury caused. Proprietors can obtain for their forest guards, if 

 they have them regularly sworn in, the same powers for the protection of their 

 property as are exercised by the State and communal guards. 



On the other hand, private owners cannot cut down and clear their forests 

 without notifying their intention to do so at least four months beforehand, and 

 the forest department can, with certain exceptions, successfully oppose the 

 clearance if the maintenance of the woods is desirable on any of the following 

 grounds, viz. : 



1. To protect mountain slopes. 



2. To protect the soil from erosion, and to prevent encroachments by rivers, 

 streams or torrents. 



3. To preserve springs and water-courses. 



4. Tc protect coasts against the erosion by the sea and the encroachments 

 of moving sand. 



5. For the defence of the national frontier. 



6. For sanitary reasons. 



The minister of agriculture decides whether the clearance may be made or 

 not. Between the years of 1828 and 1884 sanction has been accorded to the 

 clearing of 1,795 square miles of private woodlands, but there is no record 

 showing what proportion of this area has actually been cleared ; and it is known 

 that sanction is sometimes obtained merely to give an enchanced value to the 

 property by the removal of restrictions on it. It is worthy of remark, however, 

 that while the average area of which the clearance was annually authorized 

 during the whole period above mentioned, amounted to 20,lfiO acres, the average 

 during the last ten years was 5,404 acres, and during the last five years it was 

 only 3,731 acres. These figures seem to show that woods are acquiring an 

 increased value in France, and that they are cleared for cultivation to a less 

 extent than formerly. 



It has already been said that there is a special law relating to the forests of 

 the Maures and Esterel, where fires are systematically lighted in order to get 

 rid of the injurious undergrowth, and that under it private proprietors in 

 those regions are only permitted to light forest fires at certain seasons, while 

 they are compelled to cut fire-lines round all woods which are not completely 

 cleared of inflammable shrubs. 



