STATE FORESTS. 35 



the majority of cases, a wise administration will keep in its own 

 hands a certain percentage of the forests. What that percentage 

 is depends on the special conditions of each country. 



The system of management to be applied to State forests 

 should be that which secures to the country the greatest possible 

 advantage, whether it be represented by high financial returns 

 or by other important considerations. As forests represent 

 capital, their management should, in the first place, be determined 

 by financial considerations, but the management thus indicated 

 should be modified in so far as other considerations may demand. 

 The financial loss thereby incurred represents the amount to be 

 paid for the reahsation of special objects. 



3. Forests of Communes and other Corporations. 



By a commune is here understood a group of persons enjoying 

 the rights of a juristical person. Communes may hold joint 

 property, of which forests frequently form an important part. 



Communal forests have been originated in various ways, such 

 as purchase, gift, planting of communal lands, or by prescription. 

 The Indian forest law provides for the allotment of Government 

 land to communes to form village forests. Corporation forests 

 have been estabhshed by the afforestation of the catchment 

 areas of water works. Epping Forest was made over by the 

 State to the City of London. 



The returns from such forests benefit the members of the 

 community, either by the receipts going to the communal 

 exchequer to defray the general expenses of the community, 

 or the yield in material or cash goes direct to the members of 

 the community. In the latter case, the right of participation 

 may be attached to personal membership or to the possession of 

 land or a house. 



In many countries the communal forests amount to a consider- 

 able portion of the total forest area : in Switzerland to 67 per 

 cent. ; Hungary, 52 per cent. ; Italy, 43 per cent. ; France, 

 23 per cent. ; in Germany to 19 per cent. ; and in Austria 18 per 

 cent. Although communes should have a large measure of liberty 

 in managing their affairs, in regard to their forest property a 

 certain amount of supervision on the part of the State is frequently 

 indispensable for the following reasons : — 



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