IN BBGAED TO KEBOISBMBNT, 319 



has made us acquainted witli difficulties of whicli no suspicion was enter- 

 tained at the outset, it has also caused many fears to disappear. 



" The populations, formerly hostile, now examine and discuss our works, 

 the progress of which they have followed with marked interest. The inter- 

 vention of the Administration is in general accepted without resistance, 

 even by those whose habits of life have to submit to a temporary violent 

 restraint. 



" The special commissions called to give advice on the projects almost 

 always approve them, which testifies to the good spirit by which are 

 animated the forest agents charged with the preparation of them. 



" But the task so difficult which the Forest Admistration then undertook, 

 when everything had to be created in connection with reboisement — agents, 

 science, and means of accomplishing it — would have been impracticable but 

 for the enlightened and devoted support of the General Conseils. 



" Not only have these assemblies examined with lively interest, and sup- 

 ported by their advice the projects which have been submitted to them, but 

 what is more, a great many of them have given their co-operation in the 

 work of reboisement. The money voted by them for this purpose amounted 

 in 1868 to 62,600 francs, and in 1867 to 67,144 francs 77 cents. These 

 sums may be small in comparison with the whole expense incurred, but 

 they acquire no small importance from the terms in which they have been 

 voted." 



And a similar appreciation of the importance of the work has been 

 manifested in the National Assembly. The late wars interrupted operations, 

 and entailed a reduction in the pecuniary provision for the prosecution of 

 the works, as the resumption of operations. But confidence in the work was 

 undiminished. 



In the National Assembly, at the sederunt of 27th June 1871, M. Eugene 

 Tallon, deputy of Puy-de-D6m6, laid on the table, in name of a sub- 

 commission of agricultural works, a report treating specially of the Regene- 

 ration des Montagnes undertaken in execution of the laws of 1860 and 1864. 

 It related more particularly to the regions of the central plateau of France. 

 The following is the conclusion of the report — 



" FiEST Peoposition, Bivision of the Law of 28th July 1860. 



" The Commission, determined by the considerations which have been 

 stated, submit the recommendation that in the renewal of the law of 28th 

 July 1860 there should be introduced into it the following modifications : — 



"1. To suppress compulsory reboisement, or le reboisement obligatoire, on 

 communal lands or lands belonging to private parties, and only to admit it 

 exceptionally on communal lands in virtue of a decision of the General 

 Conseil, given after investigation, and on advice of the municipal conseils 

 of the communes interested. 



" 2. To maintain the grants of subvention, in money or in kind, and of 

 indemnities for the benefit of communes and erf private proprietors who 

 shall consent to submit their lands to the Forest regime. 



" 3. To give priority to works oi gazonnement, and to carry out these every- 

 where where it shall be possible to do so. 



" 4. To modify the composition of the commissions charged with determin- 

 ing the p^rimfetres of the lands for which subventions are granted ; to leave to 

 General Conseils the choice of members of these commissions, which shall 

 be principally composed of agriculturists ; and in the case of communal 



