188 FORESTRY IN LITHUANIA. 



highest water over the rapids, which facilitate the passage 

 over them. And when it is necessary for the Kherson 

 rafts to winter then they winter principally at Kremente- 

 bug. 



' The wholesale purchases for distant floatage have a 

 great influence on the sale of wood floated down for local 

 use ; and this in its turn is greatly dependent on the state 

 of trade generally on the river Dwina. On this river are 

 many fabriques, and many goods are floated down on rafts. 

 The principal employment of these rafts is to carry goods, 

 in consequence of which these rafts can be sold cheaper in 

 Kiev than those that do not carry goods, as the first 

 derive considerable profit from carrying these goods. The 

 number of such rafts, and the character of the forest 

 materials composing them, depends on the demand for 

 fabrique goods, and therefore vary from year to year. 



' Under the influence of such different circumstances 

 the prices for forest materials are fixed between the 

 mouths of the rivers Dwina and Pripet, and principally at 

 Kiev ; and the state of these prices has an influence on 

 the sale of forest materials from the crown estates concen- 

 trated, as stated above, around Kiev. 



' Besides the effect of these circumstances on the sale of 

 forest materials, from the estates of the northern group, a 

 great influence comes from a number of works going on near 

 the estates of the northern group, and principally at Kiev. 

 When there is scarcity of work the rural population 

 occupy themselves with the sale of materials that cost 

 them nothing, taken from the private, and perhaps even from 

 the neighbouring crown estates. The result is sometimes 

 an increase in the quantity of forest materials left in the 

 hands of the more considerable dealers, and these remains, 

 particularly those of firewood and small building materials, 

 are not without influence on the price of forest materials 

 of the next season. 



' Still greater unity to the forest estates round Kiev is 

 given by the Kiev-Balta and Kiev-Koursk railways. 

 These roads give a facility for the disposal of firewood for 



