FORESTRY IN SWITZERLAND. Igg 



The canton of Berne had: State forest, 11,050 hectares, or 7.68 per 

 cent.; commune and corporation forest, 77,410 hectares, or 53.84 per cent.; 

 private forest, 55,320 hectares, or 38.48 per cent.; total, 143,780 hectares, 

 or ZO.87 per cent. 



In some communes, after a provision of wood has been set apart for such 

 pubhc purposes as construction, repairs and heating of schools, churches 

 and communal buildings, an allotment is made to every citizen householder. 

 Extra timber, to be paid for, muy be allotted on application for any special 

 purpose, but it must be used within a fixed time for the special purpose and 

 no other, under a heavy penalty. 



In all communes the citizens, so far as possessed of communal rights, can 

 determine and control in their local assemblies the distribution of wood. . As 

 to the administration, purchase and sale of forests the government exercises 

 a supervision, and is vigilant in guarding the interest of posterity by preserv- 

 ing forest capital and forest benefits, as far as practicable, unimpaired. 



Private forest interests are regulated to the extent of requiring a new 

 planting to be made whenever there is clearing done. 



The new planting does not necessarily cover the same area in extent as 

 the clearing, but is a matter in the discretion of the forest department. 



PASTURE RIGHTS. 



Pasture in the forest is only permitted when the tops of the trees cannot 

 be reached by the stock. As a rule every citizen who is also a householder 

 has a right to put on the commune pastures, which are usually available from 

 June to September, a certain number of cattle and sheep. The pastures 

 would not be sufficient if every one put on his full quota, but the grazing 

 season being short and the winters long the quantity of stock that can be 

 kept on the commune is limited to what can be supported in winter. 



For each head of cattle depastured one franc must be paid to the muni- 

 cipality and one day's work given to repairing fences, roads, &c. For every 

 sheep ten centimes are paid. The owner may attend his own cattle, or he 

 may hire the milch cattle to others ; or he may put these under charge of 

 the communal herd for a small payment ; but no citizen can let or sell his 

 right to pasture, nor can cattle not belonging to citizens be hired and put on 

 the pastures. 



The communal council cannot impose more than a certain amount of 

 taxation, nor sell on mortgage these commune forests and pastures without 

 permission of the council of state. It is seen, therefore, that every citizen 

 who is also a householder has, besides his individual property, an inalienable 

 right to the use of the communal pastures, and to at least as much wood as 

 will supply his necessary wants. He cannot divest himself of these rights by 

 sale, letting, or mortgage, and so far as these are valuable he is insured 

 against abject pauperism. 



FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION. 



There is a federal bureau of forestry, known as the third division of the 

 department of commerce and agriculture, that assumes direct management of 



