262 Norway. 
elm occurring sporadically, and White Birch being 
ubiquitous. 
Forest property developed on the same lines as in 
Sweden and in other European countries, hence we find 
State, communal, and private property. 
When in the ninth century the commons were de- 
clared the property of the king, the rights of user, both 
to wood and grazing, were retained by the marker, and 
the so-called State commons (almenninger) remain to 
date encumbered by these rights, similar to conditions 
in Sweden. From the end of the 17th to the middle of 
the 19th century it was the policy of the kings to dispose 
of these commons whenever their exchequer was low, and 
the best of these lands became, by purchase, prop- 
erty of the districts (bygdealmenning), provinces, city 
and village corporations. 
At present the State owns, largely in the northern 
districts, somewhat over 2 million acres, of which half 
a million consists of encumbered commons; the district 
commons comprise 460,000 acres,'and private proper- 
ties, together with institute forests, represent about 85% 
of the total. 
By the middle of the 17th century the coast forest of 
oak had been cut out by Dutch and English wood mer- 
chants who had obtained logging privileges. There are 
records which would make it appear that at least some 
of the now denuded coast was forested in olden times. 
The development of the iron industry increased the 
drain on these supplies, which forest fires, insects and 
excessive grazing prevented from recuperating. 
