130 FORESTRY IN LITHUANIA. 



Constituting less than l-30th of the whole extent of the 

 crown forests of European Ilussia, the forests under con- 

 sideration realise a revenue of about 500,000 roubles, 

 that is one- eighth of the whole income derived from 

 forests. The necessity of more assiduously guarding these 

 forests is the reason why in the Dnieper forests there is 

 about one-quarter of the whole number of foresters, and 

 that the expense of the local management forms about 

 one-seventh of all the expenses for forest management 

 in all the governments. By these ciphers is sufficiently 

 demonstrated the importance of the Dnieper forests, as 

 well in the wood trade as in the income and expenditure 

 of the forest management. 



' Of the Dnieper forests the Smolensk woods have 

 least importance in the timber trade, because they are 

 not conveniently situated as regards sales. 



' Though situated at the sources of three basins, they are 

 for the most part distant more than ten versts from floatable 

 rivers, so that the expense of land transport to these con- 

 stitutes the greatest parfc part of the outlay. Out of 136,000 

 desatins only 60,000 desatins are at a distance of tea 

 versts from floatable rivers; the remaining mass of the forests 

 is much further. Of the above 60,000 desatins, near the 

 affluents of the river Moskva there are not more than 1500 

 desatins ; near the tributary streams of the river Ourga 

 there are about 3000 desatins, about 15,000 desatins are 

 near the Dnieper and its affluents ; and the remaining 

 40,000 desatins are on the tributary streams of the 

 western Dwina and Volga Of these floating ways the 

 Volga, Dnieper, and Dwina to the principal marts is 

 very far ; and only by the river Moskva to the principal 

 marts is it about 400 versts. There are inconveniences of 

 another kind ; of the whole surface of forest estates of the 

 government of Smolensk about 20,000 desatins compose 

 about 400 separate forest parts, almost separate estates, 

 of which there is not one of more than 20 desatins, and 

 many of only 2 or 3 desatins and less. These estates have 

 no importance in the timber trade, but in an economical 



