24 FORESTRY IN FRANCE. 



The chiefs of cantonments are generally employes of the Government 

 service. They must be thoroughly conversant with matters appertaining to 

 forest culture, so as to instruct and direct the workmen and forest keepers in 

 all outdoor labor. T)ie forest commissioners centralize the business, cor- 

 respond directly with the head administration, and have connection with the 

 chiefs of the departments of their respective districts. 



REVENUE FROM GOVERNMENT FORESTS. 



The revenue from the forests of the XXIXth district is uncertain, as the 

 forests are young and as yet not regularly parceled out. Receipts are greatly 

 inferior to disbursements owing to the expensive work of keeping the sand 

 dunes of the coast in proper condition. The receipts of 1885 were only 

 22,000 francs, while the disbursements amounted to 296,000 francs. The 

 annual revenue from the Government forests of France and Algiers varies 

 from 30,000,000 to 32,000,000 francs. The expenses for 1886 were estimated 

 at 16,350,000 francs. 



PLANTING AND CULTIVATION. 



The forests of the XXIXth district are divided into three categories : 



1. Oaks along the river. 



2. Maritime pines along the coast. 



3. Underwood near Bordeaux and Dax. 



Trial is now being made to perpetuate the forests by the natural sowing 

 of the seed by the trees. The underwood is reproduced by shoots from the 

 stumps and roots. When a young group of these trees are obtained, and are 

 sufficiently advanced, their growth is aided by cultivation, which consists in 

 clearing and thinning, assuring the predominance of the best species. Arti- 

 ficial replanting, such as sowing the seed, or planting young trees, is resorted 

 to as rarely as possible. 



In the southwest the usual manner of renewing the forests is by sowing 

 the acorn or the seed of the maritime pine. Tha acorns are planted in holes 

 made by a dibble or mattock. The pine seed are sown in rows or furrows. 

 Private parties use methods analagous to those employed by the Government. 

 The only bounty or premiums offered by the Government as encouragement 

 to arboj-iculture are the gratuitous donations of seed and plants. These, 

 however, are distributed only in the mountainous regions. 



FORESTRY SCHOOLS. 



There are two special schools of arboriculture in France, one at Nancy 

 (superior), and one at Barres (primary and secondary). The rules regulating 

 admission to either school are practically the same. The National School at 

 Nancy is especially devoted to the education of young men destined to 

 become employes of the Government forest service. The scholarships are 

 divided into two categories— government and free. "With the exception of 



