274 Mediterranean Peninsulas. 
luvial valley of the Danube, now largely deforested. The 
hill and mountain country was until the end of the 
eighteenth century still well wooded. A rapid depletion 
then took place by the demands of the Turkish markets, 
until now not quite 17 per cent.. (according to others 20 
per cent.) of the area is forested, and the universal 
rights of user, which made commons of the woods, have 
naturally led to widespread devastation in the accessible 
parts. In 1847, the National Assembly attempted regu- 
lation of the cut and of the rights of user, but with little 
effect. In 1894, the total area had decreased to less . 
than 5 million acres (according to others 6.7 million 
acres) of which two-fifths is in private hands, two- 
fifths State property and Royal forest (formerly, until 
1863, in the hands of the monks), the small balance be- 
longing to communities and institutes. In the higher 
mountains, fir and spruce with some pine and larch form 
the forest; oak and beech occupy the middle altitudes 
and the hill country. The private forest of small owners 
is being rapidly depleted, only the State forest and 
that of large proprietors being in good condition. 
In 1863, when the cloister property was secularized 
and taken over by the state, the rights of user in this 
property were suspended, and sales at auction to contract- 
ors were inaugurated, under condition that a certain 
number of seed trees per acre be left. There was little 
enforcement of this rule. 
The first comprehensive law organizing the State prop- 
erty and inaugurating a protective policy was enacted 
in 1881. This law recognized State, Royal and Communal 
property as of public concern, and also placed such pri- 
vate property under supervision as was situated on 
