28 



Oulu (Uleaborg), Tampere (Tammerfors) and Viipuri (Viborg) r 

 and so-called local auctions in different parts of the country. The 

 significance of this method has lately dwindled, especially in the case 

 of the local auctions. Instead, sales by agreement have greatly in- 

 creased. In this way, smaller trunks, which are generally included 

 at the auctions in very small quantities only, have been sold beside 

 timber trees. The local retail sales throgh the District Forest Superinten- 

 dents have also greatly increased lately. The concessions for longer terms 

 granted earlier are now no longer favoured on account of the many 

 drawbacks to this system and hardly any have recently been granted. 

 The concessions made earlier have become so unprofitable on account 

 of the fall in the value of Finnish currency that even the cost of 

 marking is not always defrayed by the income from them. 



In earlier times, sales comprised almost solely standing 

 forest, cutting and the transport of logs being done by the buyer. 

 Such sales are however generally tied down to certain species of 

 timber and often it has proved difficult to have the cuttings effected 

 in a manner advantageous from a silvicultural point of view. Smaller 

 trunks can in many places hardly be sold at all, standing. The prices 

 at such sales are further greatly dependent on the buyer and are 

 generally much too low. These and many other reasons speak for 

 the cutting and the preparation of the timber by the State itself. 

 At the beginning of the century the Board of Forestry actually com- 

 menced to take part in cutting contracts. Originally, the 

 purpose was only the satisfaction of the State Railways' demand for 

 firewood, but later, during the war, these contracts were greatly 

 widened. Firewood was delivered to other Government institutions, 

 to the large centres of consumption and to private individuals even. 

 And further, the preparation of other timber products also, pit-props, 

 railway-sleepers, small square timber, logs, etc., was undertaken. 

 Of prepared cordwood (firewood) the Forestry Board has delivered 

 the following amounts: 



1916 1 319 800 m 3 



1917 1 628200 



1918 845 600 



1919 827 700 



1920 554 400 



1921 715 300 



At the time when the cutting of firewood for the State railways 

 was commenced through the instrumentality of the Board of Forestry, 

 plans were set afoot for the satisfying of the railway's demand for sawn 

 timber from the States own sawmills. The possibility thus awoke 



