364, All the governments constituting Courland are divided into twenty-nine forestries. To each is attached a forester, two under foresters, according to size of district, and two or three warders on horseback. The foresters are appointed by the forest department of Imperial Domains on recommendation of Palata; the rest are appointed and dismissed on option of Palata.
365. Forest warders are appointed to watch over the conservation and security of government forests; and these are elected from holders of government dairies or farms situated within the limits of the district. The number of these to be fixed by Palata of government domains, subject to approval of local governor, in proportion as lands are planned and mapped out, and the situation becomes permanent; and in order not to render the situation complicated, they are to be excluded from register of proprietors, for the time being, and to be subject to the foresters, whose fields and meadows they are required to till and cultivate. In this office are to be placed only the best, sober, and best behaved peasants, who are irremovable from their position, and can only lose their situation through bad behaviour and faults, in which case their place is to be filled by others, by arrangement of the Palata with the occupant for the time being, and on the approval of the local governor of the government.
The forest warders pay in the government taxes to the forester, and the money due to the owner for the time being they pay to the latter by inventory — the so-called wakengeld — which money, on the separation of the forest warders from the dairies, is not to be deducted from the inventory; and the foresters pay over, or send those monies to where they belong.
366. The exclusion of the forest warders from the lists of proprietors for the time being is to be effected at the close of the terms of rental, but should it be necessary to relieve certain warders from their duties towards the proprietors for the time being before the term, then the Palata of Imperial domains must, having solicited permission from the governor, notify the forest department of Imperial domains of the contemplated act, in order that the minister of these domains may, in reference to the government Palata, settle accounts with the holder of the dairy or farm, and reduce the rental in proportion.
Of Duties and Emoluments of Foresters and Under Foresters, and other Forest Servants.
367. Foresters, under foresters, and warders on horseback,
have their houses situated on lands belonging to the government forests. Each forester (apparently superior officer) has 10 desatins of arable land allowed him, and meadows that yield 100 loads (or 30 poods) of hay. Under foresters are allowed one- half the allowance of a forester. The horse warders are allowed 3 desatins, and of hay 25 cart loads. Besides this, the foresters are allowed 5 per cent, of the gross income of their circuit, and in case of their exerting themselves, they may receive extra remuneration.
368. The Palata of Imperial domains is to assign a sufficient quantity of timber for the building and repair of foresters', under foresters', and warders' houses. The requisite supplies of workmen are furnished from the government farms, which receive building timber and firewood from the forest circuit. The interior or ornamental work of their house is to be done by the foresters, &c., but this alone at their own expense. The sum expended is to be charged to the individual on the basis of a twenty years' service, so that if a forester or under forester, &c., leave the service, he will be charged for the value of the house for as many years as he has not served of the number of twenty years; and the new comer is bound to pay his predecessor, who has vacated by reason of death or otherwise, for the remaining years up to the full twenty years. For this reason the forester is bound to give to the Palata of Imperial domains an account of the sum expended in building his house.
Note. — The foresters, &c.. of the Baltic provinces, are not subject to these rules, as houses, &c., are furnished to them on other conditions.