FORESTRY IN ITALY. 1 69 



The following regulations relating to forestry culture and the felling of 

 timber, established by the forestry commission of the province of Messina, 

 in conformity with article four of the forestry law of June 20, 1877, and 

 article 27 of the regulations for the carrying out of said forestry law, ap- 

 proved by royal decree February 10, 1878. 



These regulations went into effect in the province of Messina on June 

 16, 1880: 



TITLE I. 

 FORESTRY CULTURE. 



Article i . Whenever, for the purpose of replanting a forest, improving the conditions of 

 its trees, or of changing the variety or location of the trees, it is necessary to fell old trees, 

 remove the stumps, and prepare the land for replantir^, the proprietor shall notify the forestry 

 commission, setting forth the method he intends adopting and fixing the date for the comple- 

 tion of the work ; two years are allowed for such work. 



Art. 2. ^^'hen a hillside has an incline of more or less than 20 per cent, and is likely to 

 wash, the preparing of the land and the removal of the trees and stumps is carried out on alter- 

 nate parallel sections. The sections to be cleared and replanted shall not exceed two meters 

 in width; the alternate sections to be left intact shall not be more than six meters wide. When 

 the replanted sections show a good stand of young trees, adjoining sections two meters wide 

 may be prepared and planted out, and so on until the whole forest shall be renewed. 



Art. 3. The felling of timber and the tilling of land on mountain sides shall be prohibited, 

 except in spots, for a distance of fifty meters from the summit. 



Art. 4. The above regulations for replanting shall apply to all lands held in servitude. 



TITLE II. 

 FELLING OF LARGE TREES. 



Art. 5. In thinning out forests of large trees care shall be taken to leave the heads of the 

 trees best fitted for propagation within two meters of each other. These trees shall not be 

 felled until younger trees shall have attained their maturity — their roots going deep enough to 

 prevent the land from washing. 



Large tracts of woodland shall be cleared in alternate parallel lines or squares, reserving 

 the finest trees for propagation, sixty to the hectare (2.47 acres), at equal distances, if possible, 

 for natural propagation and protection for the young trees. 



A wooded section fifty meters square shall be left on all mountain tops, in which section 

 thinning out of the trees shall alone be permitted. 



Art. 6. In regard to forests held in servitude, in order to protect roads and houses from 

 landslides and falling rocks, trees decaying or dying from age can be felled, if there shall be 

 a new growth sufficiently vigorous to take their places, and these trees shall be cut down one 

 meter from the ground. It shall be prohibited to reduce these forests to the condition of 

 coppices or to pollard the trees. 



TITLE III. 



CUTTING OF THE GROWTH IN COPPICES. 



Art. 7. In coppices the growth shall be cut down even with the ground and the stumps 

 shall be trimmed smooth and with the slant of the land. 



Art. 8. In cutting the growth in these coppices, of whatever variety, at least thirty of the 

 best seedlings shall be left to the hectare, as a nucleus, and they shall, if possible, be equi- 

 distant from each other and old enough to propagate, thus faciUtating the natural growth of 

 wood on the land. 



These nuclei shall not be felled before they shall have iulfilled their mission ; should they, 

 however, be cut away entirely or in part, they shall be replaced by other plants. 



