194 SUGGESTIONS FOR MANAGEMENT BY GOVERNMENT. 



transfers, and sbould be well understood by those who might in future 

 acquire and own the land. 



The custom of selling only the privilege of cutting the timber upon 

 public forest lands, as is done in Canada, is worthy of serious considera- 

 tion. The fairest way of doing this would doubtless be to require a per- 

 centage to be paid upon tbe lumber or other products removed, either on 

 the pro rata principle of so much per thousand feet, or per cubic foot, 

 or a general percentage of value, as shown by the market prices of the 

 year. 



From the bulky nature of these products, and the fact that they must 

 leave the forest by a few channels only, such as rivers, canals, or rail- 

 roads, the operation could be managed with but little difficulty, and op- 

 portunities for evasion would be few. In all shipments certiticates of 

 clearance should be required, before acceptance for forwarding by trans- 

 portation companies or otherwise. 



Should such a method of leasing timber privileges be adopted, it 

 would be proper to fix the time that the privilege should continue, and 

 to limit the size of timber allowed to be cut, reserving the small trees 

 for future growth. The title being still held by the government, future 

 sales of timber from time to time on tbe same land, could be made, and 

 a supply thus maintained, not subject to the caprice of private owners 

 or the fluctuations of markets. Such a system in its simplest forms, im- 

 plies the necessity of duly authorized agents to prevent depredations, 

 and to collect revenues. For the fullest measure of public utility, it 

 would require skilled agents for managing these forests, bringing them 

 into best condition for yielding the greatest profit, regulating their 

 working, and looking after their reproduction, as is done under the best 

 systems of forest administration in Europe. It is, undoubtedly, good 

 policy to cut timber when fully mature, and where it is needed, and can 

 be sold for its full value ; but in every such case at least the same or 

 an equal amount should be reserved for another growth, and if the same 

 area is to be restored, there is great economy in preserving the young 

 trees and small seedlings by forbidding the burning over of such tracts, or 

 the needless injury of such growth. The careless habits of our wood- 

 men render it doubtful whether these dangers could be prevented, 

 unless the instructions accompanying the lease were simple and precise, 

 and their observance insured by inspections from time to time while the 

 clearing was being done. 



' A system of leasing also necessarily implies a survey and exact defi- 

 nition of boundaries by landmarks well established, and if it be by the 

 acre, and not pro rata, a previous examination by competent and trusty 

 agents would be necessary, with the view of knowing the character and 

 value of the timber leased. But, taking all points into consideration, 

 we do not hesitate to prefer the method of charging a percentage upon 

 the manufactured lumber or upon the measured logs or timber, as less 

 liable to mistake or abuse, and as the surest way of arriving at a result 

 alike fair to both contracting parties. 



In the public sales of timber in France, the description and amount of 

 wood to be sold is first ascertained by the forest administration, the 

 minimum price is fixed, and the trees for cutting are marked by the offi- 

 cial marking-hammer. The cutting is done by the purchasers within the 

 time and in the manner prescribed by instructions and under the eye of 

 agents who see that the work is properly executed. In Germany, the 

 cutting and removal are generally done by the forest administration, and 

 the products are sold. Whatever excellences these methods nuiv pos- 

 sess, it would probably be difficult for us to adopt either of them at 



