' In the district of Tronbteheosk, on a confluent of the Dwina, from the left side in the village Promniss, situated in a woody place, there is a sawmill worked by water which draws by the local prices 10,000 roubles.
' Wood materials are much used by leather fabrics of the government of Orel. These are in all parts of the government, but the principal centres are Bolchov and Jeletz, and after them the districts of Tronbteheosk, Seosk, and partly Briansk. The total amount of skins manufactured amounts to 600,000. According to this number the consumption of wood materials is determined as follows. For manufacture of skins put into one vat are required —
Bark oak, 250 poods.
Tar, 8 „
Pitch, 2 „
Firewood,...... \ cubic fathoms.
The smallest number of skins put into a vat is 90; the greatest number, 350; the medium about 200; therefore for the manufacture of 600,000 skins 3000 vats are required, and consequently
Of Bark, 750,000 poods.
Pitch, 6,000 „
Wood, • - 60,000 cubic fathoms.
' The greatest influence on the forest and wood trade in this case is the destruction of the bark; and as the bark of young trees is required, or of young branches of trees from 3 to 5 years old, then the preparation of sale bark must act generally injuriously to forest economy. In this case woods are partly helped by the circumstance that willow bark is frequently preferred, although it contains less tanning acid; it pounds easily, and being more binding, it is used for manufacturing the rougher sorts of leather.
* Willow bark is brought from the neighbouring governments, and is parti}7 collected in the government of Orel. The price of it at Bolchov and Jeletz, the centres of consumption, is 30 to 40 kopecs per pood; in winter it falls to 20 kopecs. Willow bark is often 5 kopecs higher than oak bark. The average in the districts of Seosk and Tronbtcheosk are the same. If we take 20 kopecs as the average price of the whole quantity consumed, the value of the bark will be 1,500 roubles. But as the price at Jeletz is more frequently 35 kopecs, then the amount will be about 2,000 roubles: and this is the case, because in Bolchov, to which place the bark is brought from the government of Kaluga, in consequence of the unequal supply, the price sometimes rises to 40 kopecs. Such a consumption of willow bark obliges us to direct attention to the marshy places of the crown estates, and to adapt them to forest economy, in order to receive the requisite material for the leather fabriques of the Orel government, which form a very important produce of this locality. The prices of bark from the marshy or so-called perspiring places are higher than for bark from dry places. The plantation of willow does not present any difficulties; and it can with great 'facility be produced in many places of little use. On the river Dwina and its confluents there can be no want of spaces fit for such an economy. To determine the size of area requisite in this case for producing a determinate quantity of bark, we have no data — as there is no data — as to how much bark is collected per desatin. For crushing the bark many fabriques have steam crushing machines.
'With regard to the value of other forest materials requisite for the leather fabrication, we must remark that in the centres of this fabrication, Bolchov and Jeletz, the prices of birch and oak wood vary from 8 to 10 roubles; aspen wood, from 6 to 7 roubles; tar, from 1J to 2 roubles; pitch, from 1 to l£ roubles. The prices for the last two articles will soon be lower, because the considerable use made of these for the wheels of carts for transporting goods will soon be less, as with the building of railways the number of carts going any great distance wilt not be so great.
' The substitution of antracite for wood is being introduced very slowly in Jeletz, as they say it costs 40 kopecs per pood. At this price it of course cannot replace wood, which even in the Jeletz district costs about one-fourth of that less. With the opening of the Jeletz-Briansk railway antracite will certainly be cheaper, and forest materials will get dearer, so that the change must take place; but there is no danger to the sale of forest materials from such a substitution, because the demand for them is increased.
' With regard to the substitution of turf for wood, although this is possible in some districts, they seldom attempt the working of turf. The greater number of the peasantry consider it a sin to heat with earth; and if with the increase of workmen after the railroads are completed they should work it in large quantities, meanwhile much of the turf riches will be washed away by water, and will be burnt out by the carelessness of the local population. c By this means the competition of turf and coal,