71 



this law, and rendered imperative that we should study the path of storms on exact topo- 

 graphical maps giving the location of forests, and that then only should we be able to 

 make exact predictions." 



THE FORESTS AND THEIR MANAGEMENT IN OTHER COUNTRIES. 



To obtain knowledge on this head, no better source of instruction is available than 

 the extensive report made on the subject by Captain Walker, a gentleman who passed 

 nine months on the continent, by direction of the European Government, for that purpose. 

 I cannot copy his voluminous report, but will give a short review of what refers to each 

 country visited, and anything likely to be useful for our purposes here in Canada. The 

 Captain first visits Hanover, describing the system in which territory to some extent 

 describes all, for he tells us that the system there may be considered as typical. He gives 

 then, the administration there, and a brief statistical record of the others, except in those 

 points where they decidedly differ. Now, as to Hanover. 



Hanover. 



Its forests under State management amount to 900,000 acres. Some are Govern- 

 ment, some Church, some belong to municipalities or communes. Government manages 

 the forests by officers appointed, while the community pay four cents per acre towards 

 the pay of the officers. The method appears to be that of giving the owners as much 

 wood, pasture, or litter for manure, as their original right to the forest entitled them to ; 

 but to give it at the hands of government officials. If the forest is of sufficient extent to 

 employ a special officer, the commune, instead of the four cents, are charged his pay and 

 allowances, as well as other working charges. 



The government forests are about 600,000 acres of the above, and the cost of working 

 and all expenses is about $650,000 annually, the receipts being $1,500,000, and the profit 

 therefore $850,000, or, taking the actual figures, about $1.50 per acre per annum. This, 

 of course, takes no account of the value of the land, or what it might rent or sell for if 

 cleared. 



Hanover is a province of Prussia. The head office is therefore in Berlin. The 

 Forest establishment of Hanover consist of one forest director and over-forest master, 

 who is also a councillor ; twenty forest masters in charge of circles or divisions, forming 

 also a board of management in all forest matters ; one hundred and twelve over- foresters 

 in charge of forest districts (revier) averaging seven or eight thousand acres each ; four 

 hundred and three foresters who assist the over-foresters, and have charge of portions of 

 a district ; three hundred and forty-three overseers, under-foresters, etc., employed in 

 watching and protecting the forest, and supervising the work which is executed by hired 

 weekly or daily labour, or on contract under supervision of the fixed establishments. A 

 cash-keeper is attached to each over-forestei^ who receives and disburses all moneys out 

 of the forest cash chest, with which the over-forester has nothing to do, although his 

 accounts should, of course, tally with those of the cash-keeper. For payment of labourers, 

 etc., he gives orders on the cash-keeper, whose books are examined by the fore.st-master 



