BUSINESS PRINCIPLES INVOLVED. 479 



undertake contracts and make other preparations for the expected 

 timber. In France and in many forest ranges of Prussia, Baden, 

 Bavaria, &c. such notices are now issued regularly. 



11. Means of Transport 



The great influence which the available means of transport 

 has on wood-prices is well known, and has been already referred 

 to. All unwise economy in providing good means of transport 

 depresses prices, and improvement in this respect should be one 

 of the first objects of the forest owner. 



Every intelligent forest owner will endeavour to reduce the 

 cost of transport from his forest. The forester therefore lays- 

 out new roads, improves old ones, regulates floating channels, 

 constructs slides, sledge-roads or tramways ; establishes depots 

 on the banks of streams and canals and at railway stations ; he 

 will see to the drjung and seasoning of his wood, and in certain 

 cases will convert his timber and split his firewood in the forest. 



He should not be too narrow-minded in allowing the public 

 use of the forest-roads. If a forest is to be lucrative, its roads 

 should be always open, provided they communicate with the 

 general network of public roads. The higher cost of repairs will 

 be fully recovered by the improved means of transport. 



Of immense importance, in this respect, is the proximity of 

 railroads to the forests. Reduction of railway-rates for wood, 

 and introduction of railways into the forests are vital interests 

 to forest owners, which they, in conjunction with the timber- 

 trade, should use every possible means to secure. 



[In Britain, this question is complicated by the fact that railway 

 companies grant through rates for timber and other produce from 

 their ports to the large inland towns, which are actually less than 

 rates from intermediate places between the port and the place of 

 destination of the timber. In this way foreign timber is unduly 

 favoured. — Tr.] 



For owners of extensive forests, provided that sylvicultural 

 requirements are not infringed, it is generally justifiable to 

 entrust the transport of forest produce to contractors, as they 

 can generally work more expeditiously and cheaply than 

 owners, and especially than the State. 



