Canadian Forestry Journal, December, ipij. 



299 



lands were grouped together sur- 

 rounded by common pasturage 

 lands called "allmends" and by the 

 forests, the chief function of which 

 at that time was protection against 

 enemies. 



The battle of Sempach in 1384 by 

 breaking the power of Austria and 

 the nobles had an important effect, 

 not only on the political liberty of 

 Switzerland but on the economic de- 

 velopment, as it left the public 

 lands in the hands of the community 

 instead of their being held by a mon- 

 arch or divided among the nobles. 



The First Forest Lazvs. 



As the population increased the 

 extent of forest decreased and the 

 first evidence that the destruction of 

 the forests was considered an evil 

 were certain edicts of Charlemagne 

 against the clearing of the forests. 

 Fluctuations of population owing to 

 the past and to the religious wars of 

 the middle ages left little time for 

 thought of the forest, but laws for 

 its protection were passed from time 

 to time which however considered 

 only the limiting of consumption 

 and not the management of the for- 

 est. The complaints of forest des- 

 truction became very numerous to- 

 ward the end of the 14th and the be- 

 ginning of the 15th century, and in 

 the year 1597 there was issued by 

 Henry IV an edict called "General 

 Regulations for Waters and For- 

 ests," applicable to all forests, — 

 state, communal or individual. 

 These regulations were replaced in 

 1669 by new ones issued by Louis 

 XIII and framed by Colbert, and 

 these regulations remained in force 

 until the French Revolution and had 

 much influence on the French Code 

 of 1827, the basis of the present 

 policy of forest management in 

 France. 



During the 18th century the idea 

 of absolutism in government and 

 mercantilism in business strongly 

 prevailed and burdens were placed 

 on communal and private forests 

 which only resulted in their being 



Tree R epairing by Gun Fire 



Here is a brand new scheme to lighten la- 

 bor in trimming un-_ 



usually tall trees. T 

 According to "Popu- ' 

 lar Mechanics Maga- 

 zine" of Chicago, a 

 ranch owner near San 

 Jose, California, trims 

 his eucalyptus trees 

 with the aid of a high 

 powered rifle. It is 

 120 feet from the 

 ground to the lowest 

 branches of the giant. 

 The owner, it is said, 

 takes the easy meth- 

 od of lopping off un- 

 necessary limbs by a 

 few moments of plea- 

 sant marksmanship. 



.^ 



l§^ «. 



cleared as rapidly as possible while 

 the state forests were used for the 

 benefit of anything favored by the 

 government. For instance, the de- 

 velopment of mining was considered 

 of great importance at that time, and 

 cutting of timber for mining opera- 

 tions was permitted without control 

 or management. 



Destruction Rampant. 



The result of the French Revolu- 

 tion was to establish the principle of 

 individual liberty and initiative and 

 the free application of this principle 

 to the forests resulted in great des- 

 truction of the forests by the people 

 in general and by conscienceless 

 speculators. In France thirty per 

 cent, of the forest passed out of the 

 hands of the state and a similar 

 policy prevailed throughout Europe. 



