Colonial Policies. 315 



forest were all commimal property of the imissialnians, 

 but by 1851 the larger portion had passed into possession 

 of the state, much encumbered by rights of user. 



In 1836 a forest administration for the state domain 

 was inaugurated, but the unfortimate division of powers 

 between military and civil authorities was a hindrance 

 to effective improvement of conditions. The fire ravages 

 of 1871 led to a thorough re-organization in 1873 under 

 the direction of Tassy. 



Nevertheless, in 1900 Lefebvre, Inspector of Forests, 

 in his book, Les forets de I'Algerie, still complains that 

 the forests are being ruined, especially by pasturing, 

 the means allowed the administration being too niggardly 

 measured. 



The Forest Code of the home country and special laws 

 enacted from time to time apply. The administration 

 of the more than 5 million acres of state and communal 

 forest is directly under the home department and is 

 regulated ia similar manner. 



A re-organization and new legislation was enacted in 

 1903. This legislation relies stUl largdy on the gen- 

 eral principles of the Code of 1837. The most inter- 

 esting features are the provision for expropriation 

 and addition to the state domain of forests, the preserva- 

 tion of which is of public interest, and the rigorous for- 

 est fire legislation, which permits to treat incendiaries as 

 insurrectionists, makes the extinction of forest fires a 

 duty of the forest officials and provides the forcible es- 

 tablishment of fire lines (rides) between neighbors. 



In the forests placed under the forestry regime per- 

 mits from the governor-general are required for clear- 

 ing. For the administration of these properties the 



