FORESTRY IN FRANCE. 3OI 



outside his subdivision. The divisional officer is the manager of the forest estates. He pre- 

 pares projects for the various works that are to be undertaken, and directs the subordinate 

 officers in their execution; he is also the prosecutor in all cases taken into court for the sup- 

 pression of forest offenses. The conservator exercises a general control over the divisional 

 officers employed under him; and it is his duty to see that all work is directed in accordance 

 with the views of the government, as they are from time to time communicated to him from 

 the central office. He alone has control of the expenditure, and has power to issue orders on 

 the public treasury. As regards his circle, the inspector-general is not an administrative officer, 

 but he makes an annual tour, and is required to become personally acquainted with all the work 

 going on, and with the qualifications of all ranks of officers employed within it, seeing that each 

 fulfills his duties properly. During the remainder of the year he is at headquarters, where he is 

 able to make use at Ihe council board of the information collected during his tour, by advising 

 the government both in ihe issue of orders for works and in the selection of officers and sub- 

 ordinates for promotion to fill the vacancies that may occur. 



It may here be mentioned that in addition to the charge of the state and communal forests, 

 the officers of the department are called upon to exercise certain functions in the private forests, 

 which will be explained hereafter. ' • , 



Working plans. — A separate branch of the department is charged with the framing of 

 working plans for the most important forests, those for the smaller ones being prepared by the 

 local officers. The thirty-five inspectors, assistant and sub-assistant inspectors, who are thus 

 employed, are divided into nineteen sections, which are at present working in twenty-four con- 

 servatorships. As the operations are concluded in one locality, the sections are moved to 

 anotliei. The officers are under the orders of the local conservator, who transmits their pro- 

 posals to headquarters with his own opinions and recommendations. 



Consolidation of mountain slopes. — The branch of the department to which this vast under- 

 taking is intrusted is presided over by an inspector-general, and is composed of seventy-six 

 officers of the superior staff, working in eighteen centers. These officers are under the orders 

 of the conservator within whose charge they are employed; and he transmits their projects and 

 proposals to the inspector-general, who is thus enabled, by the exercise of his supervision, to 

 utilize the experiences gained in the various localities for the benefit of the entire work. The 

 inspector-general reports to the director of the department all matters relating to this under- 

 taking which are to be laid before the council of administration. 



Communal grazing arrangements. — The five officers who are employed in the three great 

 mountain regions to prepare projects for the control of the communal grazing arrangements and 

 the issue of rewards for improvements to the pastures effected by \!a& fruitiires (associations for 

 cheese-making), are placed in the same relation to the conservators as are the officers employed 

 on the consolidation of mountain slopes. 



Accounts. — It is a fundamental principle of the French system of forest administration that 

 the forest officers have nothing to do with either the receipt or the payment of money. They 

 sell the produce by auction, or by the granting of permits, as the case may be; but the sums 

 realized on account of such sales are paid by the purchasers directly into the public or com- 

 munal treasury. The inspector prepares a budget estimate for his proposed expenditure on 

 works ; and when this has been sanctioned, the various undertakings are commenced. Towards 

 the end of each month he submits to the conservator an estimate of his proposed expenditure 

 for the following month during the last days of which that sum is paid to him, and he disburses 

 it at once, transmitting the vouchers, together with the unexpended' balance, should there be 

 any to the treasurer-general ; he keeps no money in his hands. In exceptional cases, however, 

 the conservator can grant orders for advances to the officers employed under him; but in this 

 case they must, at the end of each month, adjust the advance by vouchers handed in to the 

 treasurer-general, along with any balance of cash that may remain unexpended in their hands. 

 The treasurer-general thus keeps all the accounts, both of receipts and expenditure, of the 

 department. 



