10 



BRITISH FOREST TREES 



lands were enabled by a decree of 1790, repealing the 

 regime foretier, to transform the same into agricultural lands. 

 These devastations went on at such a rate, and to such an 

 extent, that it was found necessary to issue a prohibition 

 from the Consulate with regard to further clearances, and to 

 establish a regular administration of the national and 

 communal forests. 



In comparison with the forests of the three chief countries 

 of the continent of Europe our woodlands have been cleared 

 to an extent which, but for our damp insular climate, might 

 have long ere now proved disastrously excessive, as may 

 be seen from the following abstract : l 



As compared with the other methods of economic utilisa- 

 tion of the soil in these countries the following approximate 



1 Weber, Die Aufgaben <lcr Forslivirthschaft in Lorey's Handbnch 

 der Forstwissenschaff, 1 886, vol. i., pp. 14-17. 



2 Board of Agriculture's Returns for 1891, p. x. 



a Return to House of Commons in 1863 gives 1 12,376 acres as total 

 of Crown forests. From the Report on Woods and Fores fs and Land 



