196 France. 
The fellings, usually performed by the purchaser, (the 
wood being sold on the stump) are supervised most 
rigorously, making even the smallest deviations from the 
conditions of the contract sale, which otherwise would 
only entail the payment of damage, punishable by fine; 
and the responsibility for any trespass which may occur 
on the land reaches 250 yards beyond the limits of the 
purchaser’s territory, unless he gives proper warning and 
tries to find out the perpetrators of the same. 
Legal proceedings are brought before the courts of 
correction and are greatly simplified, as is customary in 
Germany. The rigor of the original propositions has 
been somewhat abated by the laws of 1859. 
The public forests may not be sold, mortgaged or di- 
vided and the product can be sold only through state 
foresters. As in the olden times one-quarter of the 
stands in the timber forests and one-fourth of the fell- 
ing budget in the coppice is placed in reserve for urgent 
or unforseen needs. 
In addition to these and other restrictions which refer 
to the public forests, there are prescriptions which apply 
to all woods in general. All foresters employed, even 
on private properties, have sheriff's power. Walking in 
the woods with axe, saw and wagon outside of the public 
roads which pass through them, is forbidden; the mak- 
ing of fires is forbidden; the making of fire lines 20 
yards wide between private forests can be enforced by 
either owner, and railroads, along their rights of way, 
are required to make such. The setting of fires even 
within 200 yards of a wood is forbidden and the punish- 
ment of infractions of these laws is very severe. The 
rights of user are gauged by the administration accord- 
