EEBOISEMENT IN FRANCE. 343 



In the Eaute-Loire, the employes intrusted with the survey of districts 

 for determining what should be done for compulsory reboisement, have 

 declared that they are often at a loss, on account of the peculiarities of the 

 soil, consisting of waste pasture, partly wooded, but forming no greater 

 obstacle to the torrents than if they were entirely bare. They have asked 

 the conference to decide whether districts of this kind, which do not 

 cover less than 65,000 hectares, in the department may be included in 

 the obligatory limits. The employes assembled at Aurillac did not 

 hesitate to answer in the affirmative, at the same time referring the 

 question to the administration. 



Remarks. — The principal object of the law of July 28, 1860, is the creation of barriers 

 to the sudden descent of torrents into the valleys. There is no doubt that districts 

 sparsely covered with trees, having no hydraulic effect, should be included in the ex- 

 tent to be replanted when there is an opportunity for fixing au obligatory limit of 

 enjoined reboisement. 



The form to be given to enterprises of compulsory reboisement has 

 been the subject of a detailed examination. It has been acknowledged 

 that up to this time these enterprises diifer very slightly, and that ex- 

 perience will supply the most useful indications for the simplification 

 and modification of these projects. 



Remarks.— It does not seem that the proper time has come for prescribing a deter- 

 minate form to enterprises of compulsory reboisement. The number of those examined 

 by the administration up to this date, is not large enough to enable one to decide on 

 the best form for these undertakings. On the other hand, no great difference has been 

 observed in the plans presented by the officials of the different districts. The only re- 

 mark that there is any need to make is, that some officials have assigned too long a 

 time — ten or twenty years — for the completion of the work. The administration has 

 pointed out that such a delay is incompatible with the rapidity which, from every 

 point of view, is seen to be very desirable. It has just repeated that, when reboise- 

 ment with long-lived trees is not immediately possible, the ground can be stocked 

 with shrubs of an inferior order, an operation which can almost always be effected at 

 once, and which is really included in the category of reboisements, properly so called. 



It should be added to the instructions given, (1) that when a proprietor has several 

 pieces of land in the perimeter, these pieces may be grouped together, if they fall under 

 the application of similar measures ; (2) that it is not necessary to point out the sub- 

 vention to be allotted to each piece, but that those pieces may be grouped together 

 for which the same proportionate aid is proposed, and the importance of each group 

 may be known by the proportional per cent, of the expense ; and (3) that pieces may 

 be grouped together, tlie value of which has been fixed by their yielding the same 

 yearly amount. 



Various observations have been made upon the apportionment of 

 governmental aid for works of reboisement. One employ 6 has expressed 

 the opinion that it will be difficult according to circumstances and ac- 

 cording to locality to grant aids of variable importance and to absolve 

 in certain cases the communes from all expense on account of consider- 

 ing, as a direct participation in the expense of the reboisement, the ap- 

 portionment of aid from the treasury of the department. He has, in 

 fine, requested that a maximum be fixed, for example, say 80 per cent, 

 of the expense for the communes and 60 per cent, for private individuals, 

 a maximum which must not in any case be exceeded in the offers of sub- 

 ventions from the state or from the department. 



Remarks. — The aid is in its very nature variable. It depends on the importance of 

 the restocking with regard to the public interests and the attitude of the public mind 

 in the district with regard to mountain reboisement, the more or less easy position of 

 the proprietors, and on various other analogous circumstances which it does not appear- 

 necessary to detail. From thence it follows, that the administration should specially 



'This article is as follows: "There shall be submitted to forest regulation under 

 article 1 of this law such coppices or high forest owned by communes and public bodies 

 as may be recognized as susceptible of am4nagement, or of regular working by the ad- 

 ministrative authorities, upon the advice of municipal councils or of the administrators 

 of public bodies." 



