FORESTRY IN ITALY. 1 87 



tracts of country which, in the public interest, have been subjected to forest 

 regulations, and are therefore reserved for woodland cultivation, are placed 

 in the category of strict regulation ; and those which have no such importance 

 in the eye of the law are placed in the other category and are left to free 

 culture. 



In deference to the progress of the age, the said law being conceived in 

 the spirit of most exalted freedom, no privilege is allowed to particular pro- 

 prietors of woods, which, therefore, are subjected to forest regulations or left 

 free from the same exclusively, according to their importance and utility to 

 the general welfare, and without any distinction of ownership. 



To reconcile the principle of considering forests as factors in the public 

 weal, with the exercise of the rights of property, that is to allow the owner 

 the full use of the woodland products of his estate, with reasonable rules 

 tending to the preservation and reproduction of the wood, the law in that 

 act which permits the cutting of timber and allows the ploughing up and 

 agrarian culture even of woods included in the forest regulations, subject to 

 permission and precautions to prevent mischief, has also prescribed for each 

 province the formation of a committee of public interest with powers to 

 regulate the use of fire, excavations of soil, stone, sand, minerals, &c. ; the 

 gathering in of forest material, and other operations in the woods, and to 

 prescribe the penalties for contravention of the same. 



The execution of the law is confided to the direction of government 

 officials ; that is, to departmental inspectors, with jurisdiction over one or 

 more provinces, who, when necessary, have at their disposal sub-inspectors of 

 districts, whose authority extends over the woodland territory of one or 

 more administrative divisions, or even over a whole province, according to 

 the entire extent of the woods therein of their importance and of the possi- 

 bility of effective snperintendence. 



The executive part is entrusted to government brigadiers and overseers, 

 and also to provincial brigadiers and overseers, dependent on the govern- 

 ment officials. Of those last named the state bears the charge, but the 

 provinces and communes bear the charge of the various grades of employes 

 and of the provincial guards, who are nominated by the prefect of the 

 province, with the consent of the committee on woods and forests, and are 

 appointed for the care of all the woods, indiscriminately, which are subject 

 to forest regulations. 



The appointment of the forest officials is in the hands of the ministry, 

 and made by royal decree, after the applicant has undergone three years of 

 special studies at the government college of woods and forests at Vallombrosa, 

 near Florence. The admission of the pupils is regulated by an especial pro- 

 gramme of the ministry, and thence their career, their promotion, their as- 

 signments and various duties are taken in hand by ministerial instructions for 

 the administration of Italian forests. The nomination of brigadiers and 

 overseers is made by the ministry for the care of those woods belonging to 

 the crown which have been declared inalienable, and which are managed 



