OF FELLINGS, SALES OF WOOD, &c. 113 



of the forests, under pain of arbitrary fine and confiscation 

 of the merchandise against the purchaser, and this without 

 the Officers 'being able to grant any prolongation for the 

 felling and vuidance under like pain of arbitrary fine and 

 deprivation of office. 



* 41. If, however, the merchants be obligated by just 

 considerations to ask some prolongation of time to fell and 

 bring out the purchases, they can do so in our Council, 

 that in the report of the Comptroller-General of our 

 Finances there may be made provision for this on the 

 advice of the Grand-Master. 



* 42. The timber forests shall be cut as low as this can 

 be done, and the coppice wood felled by axe, level with the 

 ground, without there being any splints or splinters, so 

 that if possible the stems of the shoots may not spring 

 from above the level of the ground, and that all the old 

 knobs covered up and caused by previous fellings may 

 disappear. 



* 43. The trees shall be felled in such a way that they 

 fall on the purchase, without damaging the trees remain- 

 ing, under pain of damage and loss against the merchants ; 

 and if it happen that the trees shall remain and rest 

 encronh, or entangled in the boughs of another tree, the 

 merchant cannot cause to be felled the tree upon which it 

 has fallen without the permission of the Grand-Master or 

 of the officers after having provided for our indemnifi- 

 cation. 



' 44. The wood of shoots shall not be felled or cut with 

 the bill-hook or saw, but only with the axe, under pain 

 against the merchants who exploit them of a hundred 

 livres of fine, with the confiscation of the merchandise, 

 and the implements of the workmen. 



' 45. We enjoin on the purchasers to cause to be cut or 

 cut over as near to the ground as possible, all stumps of 

 stolen, damaged, and destroyed trees in their purchases, 

 and to the officers to keep an eye on this, and lend a 

 helping hand in this, under pain of suspension from their 

 office. 



