222 Russia. 



of the State ; only about 250 million acres are so claimed, 

 the larger balance includes 170 million acres which are 

 to be apportioned to the liberated peasants, 300 million 

 acres in which the government is only part owner, or the 

 ownership is in dispute; and the rest is only tempo- 

 rarily placed under the management or surveillance of 

 the administration. Yet, 62% in Europe and 13% in 

 Asia is exclusive State property. In 1903 the area under 

 working plans of the Forest Administration, how- 

 ever, was only 58 million acres in Europe and 3 mil- 

 lion in Asia. Of the State property in Europe 

 34% is spruce forest, 30% pine, and 26 % mixed coni- 

 fer forest. The Asiatic area is also over 80 per cent, 

 coniferous. 



The peasants own 40 million and other private owners 

 some 110 million acres, and 10 million belong to cor- 

 porations. 



3. Development of Forest Policies. 



The first record of attention to the woods as a special 

 property dates from Michael, the founder, and Alexis, 

 the second of the house of EomanofE, the latter becom- 

 ing Czar in 1645. He it was who began to introduce 

 Western civilization. He confined himself to regulating 

 property rights, which up to that time had remained 

 somewhat undefined, the forest, as elsewhere, being con- 

 sidered more or less public property. He issued 

 deeds of ownership, or at least granted exclusive 

 rights to the use of forests, somewhat similar to 

 the banforests. Soldiers alone were permitted to help 

 themselves, even in private forests, to the wood they 

 required. 



Protection against theft and fire was provided. 



