184 FORESTRY IN ITALY. 



Art. 26. The mowing of grass in young woods is only allowed in such as are planted 

 irregularly in rows, and in which the young trees have already become woody. 



And the interval shall be at least two years. Only sickles shall be used, and at a distance 

 of not less than I decimeter from the trees. 



Art. 27. In old forests, where there are no young trees, the gathering of dry leaves, and 

 the mowing of grass, &c., is allowed, the one alternating with the other, and not both in the 

 same year. 



TITLE VIII. 



DESTRUCTION OF INSECTS. 



Art. 28. To prevent the attacks or the diffusion of insects injurious to the forests, in ad- 

 dition to other measures which may be adopted, all unsound trees, and decayed stumps and 

 trunks, shall be removed, as well as all logs, or if it is necessary to keep these, they shall be 

 stripped of their bark. 



Art. 29. Where, in spite of such precautionary measures, the forests are attacked by 

 insects, then, after a careful study of the nature and habits of the insects, other more effective 

 measures will be adopted for their destruction, with caterpillars and nests, such as the shaking 

 or breaking down the branches in order to make them fall to the ground, or lighting fires be- 

 neath the branches, or fumigating the branches affected with sulphur or the like, or detaching 

 the nests from the branches, or cutting off of the latter, or plowing up the earth in order to 

 break up their tracks ; in a word, by employing whatever chemical or mechanical means may 

 seem best adapted to free the forests or, at least, stop the propagation of such insects. 



If the measures enumerated or others fail, then it will become necessary to have resource 

 to the radical measure of cutting down the forest and immediately reducing to charcoal the 

 infected wood. 



In the case of the forests thus attacked, the proprietor, as soon as he has ascertained the 

 presence of the injurious insects, shall at once notify the mayor of the locality and the officer 

 of the district, in order that the forest committee may be assembled, and decide upon the 

 measures to be taken to prevent the dififusion. 



TITLE IX. 



RULES FOR BRUSHWOODS AND RESERVATIONS. 



Art. 30. In order to assure the reproduction of deteriorating brushwoods, a certain num- 

 ber of young trees, of the proper age for cutting, at least forty to the hectare, will be left 

 standing, as seed supphers, or parent trees. The better species will be chosen, preferably 

 seedlings, or where they are lacking, vigorous sproutlings, which have grown from young and 

 well-rooted stumps, and, if possible, at equal distances apart. If the forests are situated in 

 localities where strong winds are prevalent, the trees should be left standing in groups, and 

 their number increased, in order to resist the winds more effectually. Such forests, or rather 

 parent trees, will be spared in future cuttings, and not disturbed until they have borne seed 

 plentifully, and the land is again completely covered with brushwood. 



In addition to these reservations, in beechwood forests, all such spouts from stumps, to a 

 distance of 50 centimeters from the base popularly called ale as have not attained a diameter 

 of S centimeters. 



TITLE X. 



WOOD CUTTING. 



Art. 31. When, after cutting, empty spaces are left of greater extent than 9.50 square 

 meters, the reafforestation of which, unaided, cannot rationally be expected, recourse will be 

 had to artificial reafforestation in accordance with provisions established for highwood forests 

 in article 12. 



Art. 32. The season for wood cutting in brushwood forests will be that already mentioned 

 in article 6. Where the local conditions require a prolongation of time, the forest committee, 



