Restrictwwe Measures. 263 
As early as the middle of the 16th century we find 
attempts to arrest the devastation by regulating the ex- 
port trade and supervising the sawmills, but probably 
no result was obtained, and in 1795 at least, the unrea- 
sonable obstructions to export were removed. The saw- 
mill privileges, under which English lumbermen held 
large areas for long terms and devastated them without 
regard to the impractical regulations, were not ended 
until 1860. The wood industries were then relieved 
entirely from restrictions, and forest destruction pro- 
gressed even more rapidly with the increased facilities 
for transportation. 
An abortive attempt at real forest management was 
made in the 18th century when the two famous German 
foresters, von Langen and von Zanthier were called upon 
to organize forest management in Sweden, Denmark and 
Norway during the years 1736 to 1740. The depart- 
ment which resulted from this visit was, however, aban- 
doned in 1746, and Zanthier, who with 12 assistants had 
organized it, returned to his country, the sole survivor, 
the others having succumbed to scurvy. 
The first worthy modern effort at reform dates from 
the Forest Act of 1863 which stopped the extension of 
ruinous rights of user, and placed the management of 
the State and other public forests under an effective 
department. In 1892 the export from the three north- 
western provinces which are only thinly forested was 
prohibited, and in 1893 an act was passed enabling muni- 
cipalities to protect themselves against destruction of 
forests needed for protective purposes. 
Many of the State forests are so burdened with rights 
of user, which were granted to help in developing the 
