152 X.EGIBLATIOX OX TORT^ENTS. 



comprised in Table I. of the law of the 5th March 1855 ; so the alienation 

 of them has already been authorised by the Corps Legislatif, as the sales 

 authorised towards the raising of fifteen millions did not amount to more 

 than about a sum of six millions. 



The woods designated in that table are, moreover, in the conditions 

 determined by the programme of your Majesty. They are, in general, in 

 lots of moderate contents situated in fertile plains, or wpods, the clearing 

 away of which has been already authorised. From the point of view of 

 forest economy, alienations limited to woods so circumstanced presents no 

 inconvenience, while the reconstruction of extensive masses of woods on the 

 mountains is seen to be of the first importance. 



" Such, Sire, is the general purport of the projet de loi, which I propose 

 to your Majesty to submit to the consideration and examination of the 

 Council of State. The eminent men who compose that Council will know 

 how to improve the arrangements of that law. I have endeavoured, in the 

 preparation of it, to enter into the spirit of the great foresight which deter- 

 mined your Majesty to grant the concurrence of the State to the important 

 work of the reboisement of the mountains. — I am, with the most profound 

 respect. Sire, your Majesty's most humble, most obedient servant and faith- 

 ful subject, P. MAGNE." 



In accordance with usage, the projet de loi, or draft of the law proposed, 

 was submitted to a Committee, along with an Expose des motifs, or state- 

 ment of reasons for its enactment, to which they were required to give 

 consideration. And, in accordance with a report made by them, the law was 

 enacted in the^ following terms : — 



" Law, of the 28th July 1860, on the Reboisement of the Mountains. 



" Art. 1. Subventions may be granted to communes, to public bodies, and 

 to private individuals, for the replanting with woods of lands situated on the 

 summits or on the declivities of mountains. 



" Art. 2. These subventions may be made in grants of seeds, or of 

 seedlings, or in premiums of money. 



" These to be granted on account of the utility of the works, in view of 

 the general interest ; and in the case of communes and public bodies, regard 

 is to be had to their resources, to the sacrifices they have made, and to their 

 need, and also to the sums granted by general councils for reforesting. 



" Art. 3. Premiums in money, awarded to private individuals, cannot be 

 delivered until after the execution of the works. 



" Art. 4. In any case in which the public interest requires that the work 

 of reforesting be made obligatory, in consequence of the state of the ground, 

 and the dangers resulting from this to lower-lying lands, this is done thus : 



"Art. 5. An Imperial ' decree, issued through the Council of State, 

 declares the public utility of the works, determines the boundary of the 

 lands in which it is deemed necessary to carry out the work of reforesting, 

 and limits the time within which the work must be done. 



" This decree is preceded by (1) an open inquest or inquiry in each of the 

 conimunes interested in the works ; (2) a deliberative discussion of the 

 subject by the municipal councils of these communes, together with those 

 of the more important of those which are circumjacent; (3) the opinion of 

 a special commission, composed of the prefect of the department, or his 

 delegate, a member of the general council, a member of the council of 

 the arrondisement or district, and two of the landed proprietors of the 



