16 THE FORESTS OF FRANCE. 



* It may be remarked that the ground is covered alter- 

 nately with oak and with beech, according to its nature. 



1 The Carthusian monks have a choice of 700 arpents, 

 which they cut 100 arpents in extent, at ten leagues from 

 Ambroise, which constitutes part of the moUrise. 



MONTRICHARD. 



' The whole charge of this maitrise is in the hands of 

 the aforesaid Marquis of Lourdes, who has acquired this 

 as being concessionaree of the domain of Montrichard, and 

 he claims on this account right to dispose of the forest 

 both of the coppice-wood and the timber forest ; and he has 

 had the happiness to have no officers to say him Nay ! He 

 has only the Forest of Montrichard which pertains to this 

 mastership. It contains about 1500 arpents. The said 

 Marquis, without either reason or title, has caused to be 

 felled at one time alone, between 600 and 700 arpents. 

 A continuance of this has been interdicted by a decree of 

 the Council. The soil of this forest is very good, and well 

 adapted for the growth of wood. The coppice-wood, so - 

 far as it remains, is beautiful, growing well, and being well 

 planted ; there are also timber-forests, perfectly beautiful ; 

 and there are few having rights of usage. Le Sieur 

 Daltonneau, lieutenant-general of Loches, is the sub- 

 delegate for this reformation. 



CHINON. 



' This mastership has only the Marquis of Beau van for 

 forest -master, who has the entire charge. He has for 

 lieutenant a very old officer, who is also very capable, but 

 who has not done his work too well, any more than has 

 the master himself done his. 



' Of woods, there is the Forest of Chinon, divided into 

 five wards, and containing about 5000 arpents in all. 



' There is a high forest, which is of the nature of a 

 timber forest, consisting of trees of different ages, the 

 greater portion of them scattered and ill-assorted through 

 the great depredations which have been committed among 



