Forest Laws. 291 
ernor; and three members chosen by the provincial 
council; in addition, each communal council was to send 
one member to take part in the deliberations of the board 
as far as his particular commune was interested. 
By this law the country is divided into two sections 
vertically, namely the territory above and that below the 
limit of chestnut, the latter being that representing the 
farming country. To the former the restrictions of the 
law apply as a rule (terreni soggetti al vincolo forestale 
~—ban forest), to the latter, as exception, namely where 
the removal of forest or brush cover might cause land- 
slides, or affect stream flow or health conditions unfavor- 
ably. The chestnut limit naturally varies in different 
parts, but, generally speaking, lies between 1,800 and 
2,000 feet elevation. The determination of these areas 
was to be made by the provincial forest committees, and 
it is significant to note that in these the forest admin- 
istration did not have the majority. 
The territory under restriction was in 1887, after 
various revisions, established as comprising 7.5 million 
acres of forest and 2.5 million acres of brush and waste, 
leaving 2.5 of forest and somewhat over 2 million of 
brush and waste outside the working of the law; these 
latter are left entirely without restrictions, except as 
general police regulations apply. 
The execution of the law and regulations is left to 
the State Forest Department with an organization of 
forest guards (some 3,000 in 1883), appointed by the 
prefect of the province with the advice of the forestry 
commission, but acting under the State forest admin- 
istration. Their pay was to come to the extent of two- 
thirds from the communes, the other third from the 
provincial treasurer. 
