FORESTRY IN SWITZERLAND. 



243 



ST. GALLE, APPENZELL, THURGOVIE AND GRISONS. 



REPORT OF CONSUL STAUB. 



There are three kinds of forest laws existing in this country, as will be 

 shown in this copy, viz., federal, state and district, all of which cover in 

 substance the same ground, while each of them differs somewhat from the 

 others, according to the requirements of their respective localities. How- 

 ever, all are subordinate to the federal authority. 



The statement which will follow next shows that these cantons differ 

 widely in regard to the ownership of forest land. In some cantons the 

 private interest is largest, while in others the communes and districts own 

 the most. The states, as an average, have either very small or no claims at 

 all, while the federal government has no forest land of its own. 



Forest Areas. 



States (cantons). 



Number 

 of acres of 

 the entire 



surface. 



Percentage 

 in forests. 



Number 



of acres of 



forest. 



Percentage of forests belonging — 



To the. 

 state. 



To the 



communes. 



To 



privates. 



St. Galle... 

 Appenzell 

 Thurgovie, 

 Grisons 



Acres. 

 561,600 



274,000 

 1,946,600 



Per cent. 

 16.4 

 13-5 

 1S.3 



17.0 



92^x00 

 16,000 

 50,300 

 330,600 



Per cent. 

 2.7 



Per cent. 



59-8 



8. 



34-4 



95- 



Per cent, 



92 

 61 



S 



The lumber trade in this part of the country is of little importance both 

 in regard to exportation and importation ; the duty on rough timber and 

 firewood imported is very small, almost nominal, while sawed lumber per 

 car (20,000 pounds) pays 40 francs (^7.60). 



The largest house in this consular district dealing exclusively in forest 



seeds is in Zernetz, canton Grisons, but the most of such seeds is furnished 



by Tenewein at Innsbruck (Austria) and Keller at Darmstadt (Germany), 



and others. Cantons and communes are compelled by law to keep their own 



nurseries. 



PETER STAUB, 



Consul. 



United States Consulate, 



St. Galle, December ji, 1886. 



^NoTE BY the Department. — The law transmitted by Consul Staub is 

 essentially that printed in Consul Catlin's report.] 



