116 



are often a serious source of difliculty in areas open to graz- 

 ing. The blanks cannot be re-stocked if grazing, which may 

 indeed have caused the blanks, be not excluded. It will 

 often be necessary in a working-plan to arrange for fencing^ 

 such areas, or for separating by a fence those portions of a 

 forest which are open from those which are closed. 



It should not be overlooked that restrictive measures 

 should be introduced gradually. Their introduction is a 

 question of time and especially of tact. But the drier and 

 hotter the climate, the greater is usually the necessity for 

 closure. 



In addition to these measures efforts should be made to 

 develop the value of the forest produce by means of roads. 



People respect property of real value. It has been said 

 that the chief reason why the forests in the mountains of 

 Auvergne and in the Alps were destroyed by excessive 

 grazing was because the wood was without value in such 

 out-of-the-way places ; while forests round Paris have been 

 preserved because there has always been a good market for 

 their products. 



It may not here be out of place to indicate briefly the legal restrictions imposed 

 in Europe where the subject of grazing has long received attention. Taking France 

 as an example, the le^^ulations regarding grazing contained in the Forest Code of 

 1827 date from very distant times. In 1541, Francis 1, revived the decrees on this 

 eiibject, previously in existence, and these were again sanctioned in 1660 in the Cj;^e- 

 biated Forest Ordinance of Colbert. The present Forest regulation on the subject 

 is merely a repetition of these ancient laws. The most important provision in the 

 old laws consisted in the power to close to all grazing for a definite period certain 

 portions of a forest or even the entire area, if such a measure appeared necessary for 

 the safety of the forest. Under the existing law, instead of closing certain specified 

 areas, the areas open to grazing, in which the right-holders are allowed to graze, 

 are fixed each year by the Forest Officers (Articles 67 and 69, as also Article 71) are 

 the Toads and paths (by which the animals grazed are allowed to pass through the 

 closed portion of the Forest), the number and kind of animals which the right-holders 

 are to be permitted to graze, and the time during which they can be grazed. The 

 introduction of goats is absolutely prohibited notioithstanding any title to the 

 contrary. — Article 78. The same restriction is placed on sheep ; but, in oases where 

 there are no other means of providing for their support, the Government may permit 

 cnltiratois, living ou the borders of the forest, to pasture their animals in the portions 

 open to cattle grazing. 



As regards animals other than sheep and goats, the Forest Officers fix the number 

 that may be grazed each year, and the period during which grazing may take place. 

 This number is necessarily proportionate to the area thrown open (Articles 65, 66 and 

 68). Bight-holders are allowed to graze animals required for their bond fide domestic 

 purposes, but not animals kept for trade or speculation (Article 70). In order that 

 the Forest Guards and Inspectors may be able to recognise them, all animals entitled 

 to graze in the forests are branded (Articles 73 ani 74). The animals belonging to 

 one comrcune or group of right-holders are all grazed together under one shepherd' 

 (Article 72) appointed for that purpose. lu this the modern law has followed ancient 

 regulations, as it was found that with a number of animals scattered through the 

 forest supervision became impossible. Separate groups of right-hoUers are not. 



