FLORA. 18) 
these forests, may have these defects attributed generally 
to one or other of two causes—1, External injury from fire, 
wind, frost, &c.; 2, Imperfect growth from the hard, stony 
soil, preventing the full and regular development of roots. 
‘The following are defects which I have frequently 
observed: trees broken by the weight of snow, or killed 
partially or completely by frost; trees with stag-horned 
crowns, often the consequence of fires ; trees split through- 
out their entire length, the effect of their having been 
bent by the wind; trees with knots of different kinds, 
each of which has its local name; trees rotten or decayed 
in the heart. The last-mentioned defect is often mani- 
festly traceable to injury sustained by the tap root. The 
defect, however, is not such as will make the forester or 
the trader reject the tree; very often it does not penetrate 
far up into the tree, and with the lower portion of the 
trunk sawn off, the remainder is faultless, 
‘From what has been stated, it may be seen that these 
woods do not present us with exhaustless treasures, as 
many rashly think. We are not merely consuming the 
annual produce, or a justifiable percentage on our 
capital; but, on the contrary, we are destroying and using 
up capital which nature has, with immense labour, accumu- 
lated in the course of many centuries. 
‘In regard to official work, I may state that this con- 
sists in selecting and designating districts for all forest 
operations. Under the name of Vuig forests are now 
included all the forests lying on the river Vuig and its 
affluents. The principal terms of sale are the following : 
‘J, They include pine wood from the forest estates of the 
Government of Archangel, in the district of Kem, and also 
from the forest estates of the Government of Olonetz, in 
the district of Polonetz, on the declivity towards the White 
Sea. 
‘2, The contractor is bound to prepare, in the course of 
fifteen years, not less than 450,000 or more than 750,000 
logs, from 10 to 16 arschins, 233 to 373 feet long, and of 
the thickness of six or more vershocks, 
