Property Conditions. 247 
it amounted to over 54 million dollars (of which 12 mil- 
lion for woodenware), being the leading export article 
and representing over one-half of all exports. 
In addition to this export which may represent at 
least round 300 million cubic feet of wood, there are 
about 50 million cubic feet of pulpwood and 150 million 
feet used for charcoal, besides the domestic fuel con- 
sumption. The total draft on the forest may be esti- 
mated to come near to 1,000 million cubic feet which is 
believed far in excess of the annual growth, much of the 
nearly 50 million acres of forest area having been de- 
vastated or deteriorated by axe and fire and being located 
in a northern zone where the growth is slow (1 inch in 
12 to 15 years.). 
1. Property Conditions. 
It was Gustav Vasa who in 1542 declared all unculti- 
vated lands the property of the Crown. Parts of them 
were given to colonists and these as well as the resident 
population had the right to use the neighboring forest 
to supply their needs for wood and pasture. By the 
continued exercise of this right the forest became to be 
considered commons, proprietary rights remaining long 
in doubt. Finally a division came about, some of the 
lands becoming the property of the parishes, others of 
smaller districts (the hundreds), others again unen- 
cumbered property of the State. 
The State now owns somewhat over 13 million acres, 
not including nearly the same amount of waste land, and 
controls more or less 4 million more, of which about 
900,000 acres are ecclesiastical benefices and forests 
belonging to public institutions, and 2.7 million acres in 
State farms, which are rented. 
