7 
VI.—French Forest Ordinance of 1669 ; with Historical 
Sketch of Previous Treatment of Forests in France. 
Price 4s. 
The early history of forests in France is given, with de- 
tails of devastations of these going on in the first half of 
the seventeenth century ; with a translation of the Ordi- 
nance of 1669, which is the basis of modern forest econo- 
my; and notices of forest exploitation in Jardinage, in La 
Methode & Tire et Aire,andin La Methode des Comparti- 
ments, 
Extract rrom Prerace.—‘ ‘‘ The Celebrated Forest Ordinance of 
1669 :” Such is the character and designation generally given at the 
present day to the Ordinance in question. It is known, by reputation 
at least, in every country on the Continent of Europe; but, so far as is 
known to me, it has never before been published in English dress. It 
may possibly be considered antiquated ; but, on its first promulgation, it 
was welcomed, far beyond the bounds of France, as bringing life to the 
dead ; and I know of no modern system of Forest Exploitation, based on 
modern Forest Science, in which I cannot trace its influence. In the 
most advanced of these—that for which we are indebted to Hartig and 
Cotta of Saxony—I see a development of it like to the development of 
the butterfly from what may be seen in the structure of the chrysalis ; 
and thus am I encouraged to hope that it may prove suggestive of bene- 
ficial arrangements, even where it does not detail what it may be deemed 
desirable to adopt. 
‘In my translation I have followed an edition issued with Royal ap- 
proval in 1753, with one verbal alteration to bring it into accordance 
with certain older approved editions, and with another verbal alteration 
to bring it into accordance with editions issued in 1699, 1723, 1734, and 
1747.’ 
Translation of notice by M. Dz La Grrx for July 1883 in the: Revue 
des Eaux et Férets: ‘England, which with her immense possessions in 
India, in Canada, and in the Cape of Good Hope, is beyond all question 
a State rich in forests, has never up to the present time given to this 
portion of her domains more than a very moderate share of her attention ; 
but for some years past public opinion is becoming alarmed, in view of 
the immense devastations which have been committed in them, and the 
” forest question coming forward spontaneously has become the subject of 
numerous publications : amongst which, after the excellent monthly 
collection, the Journal of Forestry and, Estate Management, comes the 
Translation of the Ordinance of 1669, which has just been published by 
Mr John Croumbie Brown. This translation of a monument of juris- 
prudence, well known in France, but which has never before been repro- 
duced in English, has furnished to Mr Brown an opportunity of giving a 
‘historical sketch of French Forest Legislation, and an exposition of the 
