112 THE FOREST LANDS OF FINLAND. 
which might be based any objection to the truth of the 
allegation. 
‘I may mention that there. are numerous factors entering 
into the determination of the proportion of woodland to 
the meadow and arable ground in different localities which 
is most conducive to the production of the best crops, and 
many of these factors are subject to very great variation. 
We have general statements of the relative proportion 
of these existing in most of the countries of Europe. 
But this is not enough. The..woodlands may happen 
to be mostly or all.in one district, and the meadow and 
arable land in another. We have, in several successive 
reports issued by the.Agricultural Department of the 
Government of the United States of America, statements 
of the relative proportion of them in different States of 
the Union; and along with these also reports of the 
relative proportions of them in.the different counties or 
townships of these States. These statements promise to 
supply data of considerable importance in determining 
some one or more of the variable quantities entering as 
factors into the determination of the general question. 
But from the accomplishment of the determination of 
this we are still very far. In the absence of this we may 
gratefully accept as contributions towards the solution all 
general observations which have been made, and amongst 
these may be included those I have cited in regard to 
extensive partial clearings of the forests in many districts 
of Finland being favourable to agricultural operations 
there. 
It is not without due consideration. that the practice of 
Svedjande has. been continued in Finland. 
On 27th July 1865 a Commission was issued to three 
Commissioners named, to enquire inte the state and con- 
dition, the extent and the capabilities of the Crown: forests 
in the Grand Duchy, the management of these and the 
administration requisite, for the development of their 
resources, These Commissioners gave attention to this 
