Forest Conditions. 197 



ing to the possible yield, even in private forests and are 

 surrounded by many other restrictions; the wood is cut 

 and delivered by the forest agents, and the rights can be 

 extinguished by exchange of territory. 



Thanks to the progress made in enforcing these rigor- 

 ous laws, their necessity has almost vanished and at 

 present relatively few infractions need to be investigated 

 and punished. 



The unity of France as compared with the infinite 

 divisions in the provinces of Germany, permitted natur- 

 ally a more uniform and persistent administration of all 

 laws and policies. Thus the provisions of the ordinances 

 of 1669 and the organization of the forest service then 

 inaugurated persisted without essential modifications 

 until 1827 (with the exception of an interregnum 

 brought on by the revolution), and practically persists 

 still, although changed in some details. 



3. Present Conditions and Administration. 



Of the 300,000 square miles of territory not quite 18 

 per cent, is wooded, and, with a population of nearly 40 

 million, only .6 of an acre per capita. In its present 

 condition this area does not produce more than one- 

 third of the home demand which requires an import in 

 excess over export to the amount of about 25 million 

 dollars annually on the average. 



Since in 1893 there were still over 15 million acres of 

 waste land, opportunity for a larger forest area seems to 

 exist, and the existing forest area is capable of much 

 larger production than the present, which is hardly 40 

 cubic feet per acre even in the better managed state and 

 communal properties. 



