102 FORESTRY OF JAPAN. 



sion have all been nationalized and since then, the department* 

 in charge of these forests have been changed for a number of 

 times, and in 1879, the Department of Home Affairs Was 

 charged for a time with the control of the State forests. In 

 1 88 1, the Department of Agriculture and Commerce was creat- 

 ed with the Bureau of Forestry, and since then much efforts 

 has been made toward the efficient forest administration with 

 every prospect of the development of the industry. 



According to the present organization, the Minister of: 

 Agriculture and Commerce possesses the right of control of 

 the State forests in Honshu and all forests owned by the 

 people. The Bureau of Forestry, established in the Depart- 

 ment, has the charge of all the affairs regarding the forest 

 administration. The control of the forests owned by the 

 people is conducted by the Forest Law issued in 1897, which 

 was revised in April 1907. The law as thus revised contained 

 the necessary regulations relating to the protection forests in, 

 view of dangers arising from the ruin of forests and for the 

 sake of the wellbeing of the people and the preservation of 

 land, also regulation relating to the directions for sylviculture 

 in the forests owned by the people, and still others relating 

 to the appropriation of land and the establishment of forest 

 co-operative society for the complete utilization of forests. 

 In these matters, the local governors are appointed to take 

 the direct control while the Minister of Agriculture and 

 Commerce has the right of ultimate supervision. 



The management of the State forests is conducted by the 

 Forest Offices established in accordance with the Ordinance 

 No. 18 of 1886 and since then, there have been made more or 



