FORESTS ON THE DNIEPER. 133 



Smolensk will increase every year, if in the majority of 

 these be introduced a forest economy with distant 

 recurrence of fellings. And no objection can be raised to 

 distant recurrence of fellings, as in most of the estates the 

 plantations and soil are quite suitable for such a form 

 of economy. 



' With regard to the value of a desatin of forests, the 

 following estates are worthy of notice : 



' Klevtzovokholmovskaia. This estate forms part of 

 the Gjatsk forest circuit, and is in the Gjatsk dis- 

 trict ; it measures 859 desatins, 473 fathoms, of which 776 

 desatins, 1109 fathoms, are covered with wood; 8 desatins 

 by buildings ; and 74 desatins, 1764 fathoms, are waste. 

 The forest surface on 407 desatins pine predomin- 

 ates ; on 300 desatins, fir ; the average age of the planta- 

 tion is about 100 years ; 68 desatins are taken up by 

 cuttings and glades. Out of this estate, in 1864, were 

 sold 10 desatins for 1115 roubles, that is 111 roubles the 

 desatin ; in 1865, 10 desatins for 1273 roubles, or 127 

 roubles the desatin ; in 1866, 10 desatins for 890 roubles, 

 or 89 roubles the desatin. This decrease was occasioned 

 by the dealers ; and in consequence of it in 1866 they, 

 by the proposal of the taxator, began to leave seed trees 

 60 pine trees to a desatin, though the pine trees make the 

 principal value in a clearing. Having grown in a dense 

 forest, these trees have their summit at a height of 6 or 

 7 fathoms from the earth, and an even trunk without 

 branches. Being in a plantation where, to a desatin, there 

 were about 500 trees, the pine trees left for bearing seed 

 will be blown down before they bring any profit by sow- 

 ing the clearing. This estate has a great similarity to the 

 Zabolotsky estate in the government of Moghileff. In 

 the Zabolotsky estate it was likewise proposed to leave 

 seed-bearing trees in a similar plantation, and the 

 result was only the reduction of its value, and not the 

 sowing of seed. In such plantations the natural sowing 

 of the clearing, with indiscrimate sale, can only be aided 

 by arranging the clearing, so that the felling of one 



