190 TIMBERS AND THBIE USES 



under forest cover for over a thousand years. 

 Hence it has that great depth of alluvium and 

 rich vegetable mould which can never be 

 furnished by denuded or partly denuded lands, 

 covered intermittently with forest, but which, 

 when existent and combined with suitable 

 climatic conditions, produces the finest tree 

 growth." 



The federal forest law of 1876 applies to 

 almost two-thirds of the country. Under the 

 authority of this measure the confederation 

 exercises supervision over all protection forests 

 situated on the slopes of hills and mountains, 

 or along the courses of streams, as well as over 

 all other State, communal and corporation wood- 

 lands. The burdening of the woodlands with new 

 prescriptive rights, such as pasturage or leaf 

 gathering, is forbidden. All forests are to be 

 surveyed, their management brought under 

 strict regulation and working plans for the 

 utihzation of timber, regeneration and replant- 

 ing drawn up. The Inspector-general of Forests 

 sees that the act is enforced. 



Italy. There are 10,131,000 acres of forest 

 land in Italy, or about 14-31 per cent of the 

 area of the country ; the annual yield, including 

 useful timber, fuel, charcoal and secondary pro- 

 ducts, is valued at three and a half miUions 



