REGIME .H9 



ratio exceeding all the bounds of possibilitj'. It could only be realized 

 then, when the last large trees were on the point of disappearing 

 naturally. Thus it is not a continuous rise of prices in direct pro- 

 portion to girth that we ought to look to for the means of assuring 

 the production of large timber and the preservation of high forests. 



On the contrary, the dearer large timber is, the higher is the 

 value of the growing stock, and this is the very thing that invites 

 speculation on the part of timber merchants, whose business, which 

 consists in purchasing, exploiting and reselling, enables them to 

 secure the ordinary profits of trade, viz., 12 to 15 per cent. Thus 

 we see that rise of prices only provokes speculation and the conse- 

 quent destruction of high forests, and it must be remembered that 

 the production of large timber is, as a rule, naturally a slow process. 



A consideration of profits alone may, and often does, suffice to 

 determine the Regime to apply in any particular case. It does not 

 always lead to the adoption of Simple Coppice, but rather to that of 

 Coppice with Standards, the object being the production of builders' 

 and artificers' timber of average dimensions. In every case without 

 exception, the right way to proceed in considering the subject of 

 profits is to compare income with expenditure. Too often people 

 adhere to the established custom of the country or district in treat- 

 ing their forests. Forgetting that prices have changed with the 

 times and that the rates for builders' and artificers' timber have 

 risen considerably, they unfortunately give no thought to the produc- 

 tion of such timber when choosing the Kegime for their forests, or 

 rather in the way they apply that Regime. 



To summarise what proceeds, economic considerations are of an 

 entirely general character ; they are based directly on the interests 

 of the proprietor, which interests have no concern with those of the 

 forest itself. Thus every proprietor who aims at obtaining the most 

 useful produce, will, as a rule, work his forest according to the High 

 Forest Regime. All those whose essential object is the largest 

 money returns possible, have interests of another order which will 

 equally lead than to maintain the High Forest Regime or imitate it 

 as closely as circumstances will allow. On the other hand, those 

 owners of forests, who desire principally to derive the highest profits 

 from their property, will adopt Simple Coppice whenever it is 

 practicable. 



