however desirable, is almost impossible; unfortunately other kinds of fuel: kiziah (dried cow dung), louzga, and straw, can be much used; this, will lead to the exhaustion of the fields, which will be more serious than the exhaustion of the woods; for however fertile the land may be, with such economy it rnay be soon converted into unproductive ground. If the products of the first necessity are getting every year dearer, the principal reason of this dearness is not so much financial difficulties as the wasteful system of carrying on agricultural economy.
Sales from the Crown Estates of the Orel Government.
' The wood trade in the crown estates, or as they say, sales from the crown estates of the Orel government, present facts worthy of attention, and partly confirm our views of the importance in the wood trade of the wood belt of the Orel government —
In 1863 were sold 466 desatins for 16,785 roubles, or 36 roubles per des.
1864, no information of the number of desatins sold, 23,251
1865, were sold 945 desatins for 34,524 „ 35
' That is, the prices in the course of four years were nearly doubled. The principal mass of the wood sales is in the wood belt of the Orel government, where there is rather an excess then a want of forest materials; and therefore the whole area of clearings offered for sale was not bought. For instance, in 1863 940 desatins were offered for sale, but only 466 desatias were bought; in 1865, 2004 desatins were offered, and 945 were bought; in 1866, 2094 desatins were offered, and 692 were bought.
'Comparing 1865 with 1863, we see that double the area was then bought; but the price per desatin remained almost the same, consequently the increased demand did not lead to higher prices, because the quantity offered for sale exceeded the demand. With a more commercial system of sales, of which I have already spoken, the prices per desatin would have risen much more rapidly. The increase of the income in 1865 was principally from the increased demand for forest materials for constructing railways; with the termination of the construction this demand will somewhat diminish; and therefore for the next three years one must expect for the government of Orel a less progressive demand than in the last three years. In the government of Orel, besides the sales not accounted for, sales are made with payment for the manufactured article, and likewise sales are made in advance per contract, with increased payment after the expiration of a few years. In view of the rapid increase of prices, and greater demand for crown woods, to which we have frequently drawn attention, the sales of wood in advance for long periods cannot be considered advantageous; but with regard to sales the material to be paid for when manufactured, it appears to us that the simple sales, the advantages of which have been proved by the experience of the last years, deserve a preference, particularly in such places as the woody parts of the government of Orel, where the rapid increase of demand and sale is guaranteed.
' The above ciphers of the income are taken from the general amount of income in order to show more accurately the change of price per desatin of forest area generally, but the total income of 1863, 1864, and 1865 were as follows: —
Roubles. Roubles. Roubles.
Sold by lower estimate, - 5,326 6,341 15,955
Without money, - - 245 619 335
Received rents from estates, 5,656 5,602 6.. 480
Duty for billets, - - 139 143 168
' With the general extent of forest estates under crown management of 344,832 desatins, there was received of income —
In 1863,.... 9 kopecs per desatin.
But taking into account only the area covered by forests, viz., about 255,533 desatins, we find the amount received —
In 1863, 24,649 roubles from the forest area, or 10 kopecs per desatin.
In this case we take into account the wood sold, and also that sold at a reduced price, and free duty for billets, and interest for money exacted in selling the timber.