CHAPTER X. 



FOREST POLICIES OF FOREIGN NATIONS. 



The conditions which a hundred years ago in- 

 fluenced the pohcies of European nations in regard 

 to their forest pohcies, — namely, the necessity of 

 looking out for continuance of domestic supplies — 

 have long ago changed. At that time the fuel 

 question was still the important one, for coal had 

 not yet become an established substitute, and, in 

 the absence of railroad transportation, home sup- 

 phes were a necessity. 



The many ordinances and laws, therefore, which 

 attempted to assure continued home supplies have 

 fallen into disuse, although the desirability of foster- 

 ing home production and of securing the advantages 

 of a general economic character which come from 

 forest management — notably the employment of 

 labor in winter time, which the forest industries 

 offer — have still an influence upon the policy of 

 governments, or are at least academically discussed 

 as properly establishing a government interest even 

 with regard to supply forests. 



In the main, however, the state forest policies 

 of the European governments are based upon the 

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