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The manner in which the laws relating to the consolidation of mountain 

 slopes and the planting of the dunes affect private owners has also been briefly 

 explained in a previous chapter. 



What has already been said regarding the systems of culture generally 

 adopted for the State and communal forests respectively, will lead to the correct 

 conclusion that those belonging to private owners are, as a rule, treated as simple 

 coppice, or coppice under standards, private high forests being usually composed 

 of coniferous trees, and situated in mountainous regions. But many of the 

 forests that have been planted in the plains of the Landes, Salogne and 

 Champagne are stocked with coniferous species, which are frequently more 

 suited to the local conditions, under which they yield a better revenue than could 

 be derived from other kinds of trees. Notwithstanding that the private forests 

 are, as a rule, more favourably situated than those owned by the state or by 

 communes, the gross revenue per acre derived from them is considerably less; 

 because the trees, being cut down at a young age, yield a large proportion of 

 timber of a small size and firewood. On the other hand, their capital value is less, 

 and when they are properly managed they should give a higher rate of interest. 



But, unfortunately, although there are exceptions to the general rule, and 

 some of the private forests are maintained in an excellent condition, it cannot 

 be said that, generally speaking, they are so. For while coppice, and particularly 

 simple coppice, is exhausting to the soil, from the young age at which the crop 

 is cut and removed, and, in consequence of the comparative frequency with 

 which the ground is denuded, tends to its physical deterioration, working plans 

 are rarely prepared, and there is consequently no guarantee that the cuttings are 

 confined within proper limits. The fellings are, in fact, too frequently regulated 

 according to the financial requirements of the owner, rather than by the 

 considerations which ought to govern such operations ; and hence it -follows 

 that the condition of the private forests is not always such as could be desired. 

 This is found to be the case in all countries ; but it is probably especially so in 

 France, where the laws relating to the division of the land on the death of its 

 owner, and the custom of the country tend constantly to diminish the number 

 of large properties, and to leave in the hands of each proprietor an area of 

 woodland too small to admit of its management on a regular system. 



The produce derived from the private forests is, however, large in amount, 

 and of very great value. Exact figures are not obtainable ; but it is probable 

 that the 26,657 square miles yield annually over 12,000,000 loads (of 50 cubic 

 feet) of wood, with about 270,000 tons of tanning bark, 2,250 tons of cork bark, 

 and 30,000 tons of resin worth altogether, more than 6,000,000 ; while the 

 isolated trees and vines yield another three and a half million loads of wood, 

 valued at 1,000,000. The number of foresters and guards employed in these 

 forests, is, however, comparatively speaking, very limited ; this being due, in a 

 great measure, to the small size of the individual properties, which are con- 

 sequently in a very large number of cases, managed directly by their owners. 

 There are no private institutions for the training of foresters and woodmen ; 

 and although the State forest schools are open to receive " free students " very 

 little advantage is taken of this privilege. The Nancy school has only trained 

 thirty such students since it was established in 1824, and the secondary and 

 primary schools have only received one student between them. Neither the 

 owners, nor their managers or guards, have then, as a rule, had any professional 

 education, notwithstanding that the means of obtaining it is open to them ; and 

 it is not to be wondered at if grave mistakes in the management of their forests 

 are of frequent occurrence. In some places they have the means of getting a 

 certain amount of advice from the State forest officials, who are occasionally 



