FOREST TAXATION IN THE UNITED STATES 485 
forests belongs to the communes (67.5 percent of the total forest 
area), while a small amount (4.6 percent of the total forest area) 
belongs to the Cantons. The Federal Government owns practically 
no forest land (275, p. 44). Thus the forests are not only an important 
source of tax revenue, since public forests in Switzerland are far from 
tax exempt as will be shown later, but their income apart from taxes 
contributes in a substantial way to public revenues. During the 
period 1925-29 the average annual net income from the public forests 
was 35,329,000 frances ($6,817,000),* or 53.8 francs per hectare ($4.20 
per acre) (268, table 5). In 1930 the net income was 33,636,000 
francs (269, pp. 171-172), and the more recent figures (1931-33) will 
undoubtedly be still less on account of the depression. The forests 
owned by the Cantons are relatively small, but the revenue which 
they yield is nevertheless valued for its regularity under ordinary 
conditions. The income from public forests is of much greater im- 
portance to the communes than to the Cantons, constituting in many 
cases a substantial part of their income. In some cases the forest 
revenues meet all of the local requirements, making the fortunate 
inhabitants of those districts entirely free from local taxes. 
The private forests are very unevenly distributed and are not very 
heavily represented in the high mountains of the Alps and of the 
Jura. They are as a rule in very small ownerships, and practically 
none is over 200 hectares (500 acres). They are less productive than 
the public forests, the average gross annual revenue from 1921 to 
1930 varying between 34 and 43 francs per hectare ($2.70 and $3.40 
per acre) (269, p. 165), which is generally less than the net annual 
revenue per hectare from public forests. ‘These private forests are 
subject to strict governmental control designed to insure maintenance 
of the forest cover and prevention of excessive cuttings which might 
endanger their protective value. In the case of the forests classified 
as ‘“‘protective’’, which constitute 63 percent *’ of the private forest 
area, this control s particularly rigid, and the owners are assisted in 
meeting the requirements by Government subsidies. Thus all of the 
forests, both private and public, are managed with a view to continu- 
ous production and protection of the public interest. 
The product in timber from the Swiss forests is insufficient to meet 
domestic requirements. There is normally an excess of imports of 
timber and wood material. The reverse was the case during the years 
1915-20 owing to the abnormal trade conditions brought about by 
the World War (275, p. 201). 
TAXES THAT AFFECT FOREST PROPERTY 
(270, 271) 
The principal tax which burdens forest property in Switzerland is 
the general property or real estate tax, which is employed by the 
Cantons and their subdivisions, and since the World War by the 
Federal Government as well. However, forest properties are some- 
times subject also to income taxes, transfer and inheritance taxes, 
as well as to church and other taxes of less fiscal importance. In 
practice, they escape the Federal tax on income, since income from 
property up to 5 percent of its value is exempt from this tax. The 
40 In this and subsequent cases where Swiss francs are converted to dollars, the basis is gold parity of 1933, 
or 1 france equals $0.19295. 
41 Computed from areas given, see (269, p.176). 
