Istanbul imperial residence

Still the women would not abandon the

contest, and, as a supreme effort, sent a long telegram to the Palace, invoking

the sovereign’s aid and protection. In reply, they were invited to send a

deputation to the Police Court connected with the imperial residence. The pasha

of the Court was a veteran official who, though he could not read, and knew to

write only his own name, had reached his responsible position by force of

character and the possession of common sense.

He expounded the law to the women before

him, informed them that he intended to enforce it, and gave them a tremendous

scolding for the manner in which they and their sisters had behaved; seasoning

justice, however, with mercy, to the extent of presenting them a small sum of

money wherewith to meet the expense of their visit to him and of their

telegram.

The young imam of the village was also

summoned, and made to understand that, unless his mother’s influence was

employed to keep the peace, he should lose his place. Accordingly, the war

stopped, but there were threats that the two persons most concerned with the

erection of the wall would be stoned to death. The threats were so serious that

even a brave Croat, in the service of the proprietors of the enclosed ground,

advised the superintendent of the works to avoid a road which would expose him

to assault. “I am an old man,” replied the latter, a Briton, “it will not

matter much if I am stoned to death.”

Be killed by women

But answered the Croat, “will it not be a

shame to be killed

by women?” It was an ungallant remark to make, in view of the

spirit displayed by the women, yet a characteristic expression of that poor

estimate of womanhood against which the weaker sex has still to contend in the

East the estimate which led Abimelech, long ago, when at the point of death by

a blow from a woman’s hand, to beseech his armor-bearer to kill him, lest men

should say “a woman slew him.”

A pleasure resort near the upper end of the

Golden Horn much in favor in the spring, when every Friday afternoon crowds of

Turkish ladies with their children flock there for recreation by the

water-side.

But the world moves, and Turkish women move

with it. The last generation has witnessed remarkable changes in their habits

both in the capital and in other great cities of the Empire. For one thing,

there has been a striking change in the matter of dress.

Children of Istanbul

As the ground had long been a pleasant

resort for the women and children of the village, especially on Fridays,

where sitting on the ground under the shade of trees they enjoyed the fresh air

and the beautiful views on every side, the villagers very naturally regretted

the loss which the erection of the wall would involve, and they determined to

prevent the execution of the work to the utmost of their power. The opposition

first assumed a legal form. It was urged that the wall would interfere with the

water-course which supplied the village fountain, and furthermore, would

include a piece of land belonging to the community.

Both objections were shown to be without

foundation, and building operations were begun. No difficulties were raised

until the wall approached the fountain and the land in dispute, when it became

evident that if the work proceeded farther the opposition would resort to

violent measures. In the hope of coming to a friendly understanding with the

villagers by additional explanations, work was suspended for some time, but the

negotiations to establish peace having failed, the erection of the wall was

continued.

The work had not gone far, when a band of

women appeared, led by the principal female personage in the community, who

enjoyed the distinction of being both the widow of the late imam of the village

mosque and the mother of the present incumbent of that office; a dark-visage

dame, with a sharp tongue. Not a single man accompanied the women. Armed with

sticks and stones, the band of Amazons rushed upon the workmen and drove them

off.

Imams widow

The intervention of the police obliged the

women to retreat, but, when the masons returned next morning to their work,

they found the women already upon the scene of action. The imams widow  with another woman had seated themselves in

the trench and defied the erection of the wall over their bodies I Again the

police interfered, and, after all methods of gentle moral suasion had proved

useless, they actually lifted the imam’s widow somewhat forcibly out of the

trench. She took the affront so much to heart that she kept her bed for several

days.

There was a consequent lull in the storm.

But soon the women resumed the struggle, coming in the dark and tearing down a

considerable portion of the building. The wall had therefore to be guarded by

the police during the day, and by watchmen during the night.

Charshaf in Istanbul

The charshaf may also be made of

two pieces of cloth in order to secure a better fit, and although the garb

might seem to defy artistic arrangement and effect, it is often very becoming

and graceful It would appear that the charkha was the original dress of Turkish

women, with the important difference from the present fashion that the veil

could not be thrown back, and was furnished with two holes for the eyes, as

among Moslem women to-day in Persia and India.

The yashmak, it is said, came into vogue at

the time of the Conquest, being an adaptation of the veil worn then by women of

the Christian peoples of the land. Its abandonment for the sake of a style

which permits greater freedom is a sign of progress. But the change, which was

made some thirty years ago, roused considerable opposition. Merchants in the

bazaars objected to it, because a charkha required less material to be made up

than a feuded, and consequently injured trade.

Others found fault with it simply because

it was an innovation; while others feared that when worn with the veil down it

might facilitate disguise in carrying on social or political intrigues. Nay,

imperial tirades denounced and forbade the new mode. But all was in vain, for

even in Turkey it is possible for women to have their own way.

Turkish hanuman reclined

Nor is it only in their out-door dress that

Turkish women have introduced alterations. They have done so likewise in their

dress when at home. The baggy trousers, the embroidered vest and jacket, which

constituted the costume in which a Turkish hanuman reclined upon her divan, have

been replaced, in the progressive section of Turkish female society, by

garments after European fashions.

A Turkish bride belonging to a wealthy

family wears a wedding dress like that which adorns a young lady under similar

circumstances in Western lands, the only difference being that the former

allows her hair to hang down, and decorates it with long narrow streamers of

tinsel, pieces of which she presents to her young friends for good luck.

Elegant tea-gowns and the latest Parisian

robes are worn in wealthy harems. Turkish ladies, indeed, have yet to adopt the

low-necked dress, but, not to be altogether behind the times, they make their

servant-maids don that attire on great occasions. When the maids are

dark-skinned daughters of Africa, the effect is not flattering to the costume.

Violence of the boatman

At night he related to his father what had

happened in the boat, of the violence of the boatman and of the peasants, and

the treachery of the caravan. The father said, “0 son did I not tell you, at

the time of your departure, that the strong but poor man has his hand tied; and

that his foot, though resembling the paw of a lion, is broken? What an excellent

saying is that of the needy gladiator: ‘ A grain of gold is worth more than

fifty pounds of strength/ ” The son replied, “ 0 father of a truth, without

encountering difficulty you cannot acquire riches ; and without you endanger

your life, you cannot gain the victory over your enemy ; and without sowing

seed, you cannot fill your barn.

Don’t you perceive that, in return for the

little distress that I suffered, how much wealth I have brought with me; and

for the sting that I endured, what a stock of honey I have acquired? Although

we cannot enjoy more than what Providence has assigned us, we ought not to be

negligent in acquiring it. If the diver were to think of the jaw of the

crocodile, he would never get in his possession precious pearls. The lower

mill-stone does not move, and therefore sustains a great weight. What food can

a ravenous lion find in his den? What game can be taken by a hawk that cannot fly?

If you wait in your house for provision, your hands and feet will become as

thin as those of a spider.”

The father said, “0 son ! Heaven has

befriended you this time, and good fortune has been your guide, so that you

have been able to pluck the rose from the thorn and to extract the thorn from

your foot ; and a great man met with you, pitied and enriched you, and healed

your broken condition. But such instances are rare, and we ought not to expect

wonders. The hunter doth not always carry off the game : perchance himself may

one day become the prey of the tiger. In like manner, as it happened to one of

the kings of Persia, who, possessing a ring set with a valuable jewel, went

once on a party of pleasure, with some of his particular associates, to Mussula

Shiraz, and ordered that they should fix the ring on the dome of Asud, with a

proclamation, that whoever shot an arrow through the circlet of it should have

the ring.

It chanced there were at that time four

hundred experienced archers attending him, whose arrows all missed ; but as a

boy was playing on the terrace roof of the monastery, and shooting his arrows

at random, the morning breeze conducted one of them through the ring. The prize

was bestowed on him, together with other rich gifts. After this the boy burnt

his bow and arrows, and on their asking him, Why he had done so ? He replied, ‘

That this my first repute may be lasting.’ It may happen that the prudent

counsel of an enlightened sage does not succeed ; and it may chance that an

unskilful boy, through mistake, hits the mark with his arrow.”

Venerable Shaikh

I lamented to a venerable Shaikh, that someone

had accused me falsely of lasciviousness. He replied, “Put him to shame by your

virtue. Let your conduct be virtuous, when it will not be in the power of the

detractor to convict you of evil. When the harp is in tune, how can it suffer

correction from the hand of the musician? ”

Shaikhs of Damascus

They asked one of the Shaikhs of Damascus,

What was the condition of the sect of Softies? He replied, “They formerly were,

in the world, a society of men apparently in distress, but in reality contented;

but now they are a tribe in appearance satisfied, but inwardly discontented.”

When your heart is continually wandering

from one place to another, you will have no satisfaction in solitude. Though

you possess riches, rank, lands and chattels, if your heart is with God you are

a recluse.

Whole night with the caravan

I recollect that once I had travelled the whole

night with the caravan, and in the morning had gone to sleep by the

side of a desert; a distracted man, who had accompanied us in the journey, set

up a cry, took the road of the desert, and did not enjoy a moment’s repose.

When it was day, I asked him what was the matter? He replied, “I heard the

nightingales on the trees, the partridges in the mountains, the frogs in the

water, and the brutes in the desert, uttering their plaintive notes and doleful

lamentation. I reflected that it did not become a human being, through neglect

of my duty, to be asleep, whilst other creatures were celebrating the praises

of God.”

Last night, towards morning, the

lamentations of a bird deprived me of reason, patience, power, and sensation.

When my voice reached the ears of a sincere friend he said, “I could not have

believed that the notes of a bird would in such a manner have deprived you of

your senses.” I replied, “ It is not consistent with the laws of human nature,

that whilst a bird is reciting the praises of God, I should be silent.”

Beni Hullal

Once I travelled to Ilejaz along with some

young men of virtuous disposition, who had been my intimate friends and

constant companions. Frequently, in their mirth, they recited spiritual verses.

There happened to be in the party an Abid, who thought unfavorably of the

morals of Durweshes, being ignorant of their sufferings. At length we arrived

at the grove of palm-trees of Beni Hullal, when a boy of dark complexion came

out of one of the Arab families, and sang in such a strain as arrested the

b’rds in their flight through the air. 1 beheld the Abid’s camel dancing; and,

after flinging his rider, he took the road of the desert, I said, “0 Shaikh,

those strains delighted the brutes, but made no impression on you ; knows thou

what the nightingale of the morning said to me ? ‘ What kind of a man art thou,

who are ignorant of love. The camel is thrown into ecstacy by the Arabic

verses, for which if thou hast no relish, thou art a cross-grained brute. When

the camel is captivated wTith ecstatic phrenzy, that man who can be insensible

is an ass. The wind blowing over the plains causes the tender branches of the

ban-tree to bend before it, but affects not the hard stone. Everything that you

behold is exclaiming the praises of God, as is well known unto the

understanding heart: not only the nightingale and the rose-bush are chanting

praises to God, but every thorn is a tongue to extol him.

Regulating my expenses

A certain King asked a religious man, how

lie passed his valuable time? He replied, “All night I pray, in the morning

offer up my vows and petitions, and the whole day is spent in regulating

my expenses.” The King commanded that they should provide him a

daily subsistence to relieve his mind from the cares of his family.

0 thou, who art enthralled with the cares

of a family, look not for freedom in any other respect; sorrow for children,

bread, raiment, and subsistence, incapacitates you for contemplating the

invisible world. The whole day I am reflecting that at night I shall be

employed in my devotions ; and at night, when I begin my prayers, I am thinking

how I shall be able to provide food for my children next morning.

Hermits of Damascus

One of the hermits of Damascus had

passed many years in the desert in devotion, feeding on the leaves of trees.

The King of that country having^ gone to visit him, said, “ It seems advisable

to me that I should prepare a place for you in the city, where you may perform

your devotions more, conveniently, and others be benefited by the blessing of

your company and take example from your good works.” The hermit would not

consent to this proposal. The ministers of state said, “It is necessary for the

satisfaction of his majesty, that you should remove into the city for a few

days, to make an experiment of the nature of the place; when, if you should

find your precious time disturbed by the society of others, the choice will

still remain in your power.” They have related that the hermit came into the

city, and that the King prepared for his reception a garden belonging to the palace:

a delightful situation, refreshing the spirits; red roses vying with the cheeks

of a beautiful damsel: hyacinths resembling the ringlets of a beloved mistress.

Although in the depth of winter, yet these flowers had the freshness of

new-born babes, who had not tasted the nurse’s milk: the branches of the trees

were ornamented with scarlet flowers, suspended among verdant foliage, shining

like tire. The King sent him immediately a beauteous handmaid; her face, fair

as the crescent moon, would fascinate an anchorite; and her angelic form,

arrayed in all the peacock’s pride and splendor, would at the first view

deprive the most rigid moralist of the command of his passions. She was

followed by a youth of rare beauty and most exquisite symmetry of form: he is

surrounded by mortals parched with thirst, whilst he who hath the appearance of

a cup-bearer, bestowed not drink. The eyes could not be satisfied with the

sight of him, like one afflicted with dropsy beholding the Euphrates. The

hermit began to feast on dainties, was arrayed in elegant attire, regaled

himself with fruits and perfumes, and took delight in the company of the virgin

and her attendant. The sages have said that, ‘The ringlets of fair maids are

chains for the feet of reason, and a snare for the bird of wisdom. In your

service I have lost my heart, my religion, and my reason: in truth, I am now

the bird of wisdom, and you are the snare.’ To be brief: his state of enjoyment

began to decline, in the manner as has been said, ‘ Whenever a lawyer, a

teacher, a disciple, or an orator, possessed of pure spirit, descends to mean

worldly concernments, he will find himself enthralled, like flies with their

feet in honey.’

Once the King, having an inclination to see

him, found the holy man much altered in his appearance, having become plump,

with a clear and rosy complexion. He was reclining on a pillow of damask, silk,

and the fairy-formed boy stood behind him with a fan made of peacock’s feathers.

The King rejoiced at his happy condition, and they talked on various subjects,

until the King concluded the conversation by saying, “ I have an affection for

two descriptions of men in the world, the learned and the recluse.” A Vizier, a

man of wisdom and experience, being present, said, “ 0 King, the law of

benevolence requires that you should do good to both of them : give money to

the learned, that others may be induced to study j but give nothing to

recluses, in order that they may continue such. Durweshes require not direms

and dinars ; when they receive money, look out for other Durweshes. Whosoever

possesseth a virtuous disposition, and has his mind devoted to God, is a

religious man, without feeding on consecrated bread or begging for broken victuals.

The finger of a beautiful woman, and the tip of her ear, are handsome without

an ear-jewel or a turquoise ring. He is a Durwesh who is virtuous and wise,

although he tasteth not holy bread nor the fragments of beggary. The lady

endowed with an elegant form and a beautiful face is charming without paint or

jewels. Whilst I have any thing of my own, and cove t the goods of others, if

you do not call me a religious man, perhaps you will not be mistaken.”

Office of Dewan

A certain person had a friend employed hi

the office of Dewan, with whom he had not chanced to meet

for some time. Somebody said to him, 11 It is a long time since you saw such an

one.” He answered, “ Neither do I wish to see him.” It happened that one of the

Dewan’s people was present, who asked what fault his friend had been guilty of,

that he was not inclined to see him. He replied, “ There is no fault ; but the

time for see ng a De- wan is when he is dismissed from his office. In greatness

and authority of office, they neglect their friends in the day of adversity and

degradation, they impart to their friends the disquietude to their hearts.”

Abu Horiera

Abu Horiera used every day to visit Mustafa (Mohammed), upon whom be the

blessing and peace of God! The Prophet said, “0 Abu Horiera,

come not every day, so that affection may increase.” They observed to a holy

man, that notwithstanding the benefits which we derive from the sun’s

bounteousness, we have not heard any one speaking of him with affection. He

replied, “That is because he can be seen every day, excepting in the winter,

when being veiled he is beloved.”

There is no harm in visiting men; but let

it not be so often that they may say, ‘ It is enough.’ If you correct yourself,

you will not need reprehension from another.

My friends at Damascus

Having become weary of the company of my

friends at Damascus, I retired into the desert of Jerusalem, and

associated with the brutes, till I was taken prisoner by the Franks, and

consigned to a pit in Tripoly, to dig clay, along with some Jews. But one of

the principal men of Aleppo, with whom I had formerly been intimate, happening

to pass that way, recollected me, asked me how I came there, and in what manner

1 spent my time ? I answered, “I fled into the mountains and deserts to avoid

mankind, seeing on God alone reliance can be placed ; conjecture then what must

now be my situation, forced to associate with wretches worse than men. To have

our feet bound with chains in company with our friends, is preferable to living

in a garden with strangers.” He then had compassion on my condition, redeemed

me for ten dinars from the Franks, and took me with him to Aleppo. He had a

daughter, whom he gave me in marriage, with an hundred dinars for her dower.

When some time had elapsed, she discovered her disposition, which was

ill-natured, quarrelsome, obstinate, and abusive; so that she destroyed my

happiness, in the manner that has been said: ‘A bad woman in the house of a

good man, is his hell in this world. Take care liow you connect yourself with a

bad woman: defend us, 0 Lord, from this fiery trial! Once she reproached me,

saying, “Art thou not he whom my father redeemed from captivity amongst the

Franks for ten dinars?” I answered, u Yes, he ransomed me for ten dinars, and

put me into your hands for an hundred.”

I have heard that a certain great man

delivered a sheep from the teeth and claws of a wolf, and the night following

applied a knife to his throat. The expiring sheep complained of him, saying, “You

delivered me from the claws of a wolf, but I have seen you, at length, act the

part of the very wolf, towards me.”

Certain King

A certain King, when arrived at

the end of his days, having no heir, directed in his will that, in the morning

after his death, the first person who entered the gate of the city, they should

place on his head the crown of royalty, and commit to his charge the government

of the kingdom. It happened that the first person who entered the city gate was

a beggar, who all his life had collected scraps of victuals and sewed patch

upon patch. The ministers of state and the nobles of the court carried into

execution the King’s will bestowing on him the kingdom and the treasure. For

some time the I hinvesli governed the kingdom, until part of the nobility

swerved their necks from his obedience, and all the surrounding monarchs,

engaging in hostile confederacies, attacked him with their armies. In short,

the troops and peasantry were thrown into confusion, and he lost the possession

of some territories.

 The

Durwesh was distressed at these events, when an old friend, who had been his

companion in the days of poverty, returned from a journey, and finding him in

such exalted state, said, “Praised be the God of excellence and glory, that

your high fortune lies aided you and prosperity been your guide, so that a rose

has issued from the briar, and the thorn has been extracted from your foot, and

you have arrived at this dignity. Of a truth, joy succeeds sorrow: the bud

sometimes blossoms and sometimes withers: the tree is sometimes naked and

sometimes clothed. “He replied, “0 brother, condole with me, for this is not a

time for congratulation. When you saw me last, I was only anxious how to obtain

bread; but now I have all the cares of the world to encounter. If the times are

adverse, I am in pain; and if they are prosperous, I am captivated with worldly

enjoyments. There is no calamity greater than worldly affairs, because they

distress the heart in prosperity as well as in adversity.

If you want riches, seek only for

contentment, which is inestimable wealth, if the rich man should throw money

into your lap, consider not yourself obliged to him; for I have often heard it

said by pious men, that the patience of the poor is preferable to the

liberality of the rich. If Bahrain should roast a nagger (wild ass) to be

distributed amongst the people, it would not be equal to the leg of a locust to

an ant.”

THE FELLING OF TIMBER

The State fells both its own forests and

those belonging to the parishes, according to a programme drawn up every year

by the Ministry.

Private owners fell their forests according

to certain plans arranged in tables.

There are three systems of management: (1)

the State fells its own forests and those belonging to the parishes; (a) the

right of felling is disposed of by auction; (3) the right of felling is handed

over to a third party.

The sales of timber, etc., take place

either by auction, or in the way of a concession, or retail to the inhabitants

of the district according to tariffs drawn up by the forest authorities.

Felling of pines and firs takes place all

the year. The other forests are felled, from September 15th to March 31st.

The proceeds from the State forests go, of

course, to the State Treasury. So do the proceeds from the parish forests. But

the State spends this revenue exclusively on the upkeep of the parish forests

and returns any excess to the respective parishes. As a rule, the parishes are

allowed no say in the management of their forests.

PROPAGATION AND RENEWAL OF FORESTS

Villages situated in forests are obliged to

afforest 45 per cent, of their land, those near forests 25 p.c., and those in

the open country 6 p.c. of their land.

Wherever the area afforested falls short of

these proportions resort must be made to artificial methods. Certain districts

of particular importance are also afforested. The work is carried on under

State inspection.

Owing to the fact that the soil of Bulgaria

is rich in vegetable matter, young trees take root with vigour and, although no

particular care has as yet been taken of the plantations, very good results

have been obtained. Dozens of hectares have been reafforested in several

districts. Most of the planters have been influenced, not by any speculative

project, but by a wish to beautify their estates or improve their hygienic

condition. The reafforesting of already existing forests takes place by natural

methods in conjunction with a periodical and rational system of felling, this

system being at once the least costly and the best adapted to the different

kinds of timber. But one thing must be observed: owing to the want of

experience of Bulgarian foresters, the national system of renewal leads to a

crossing of the different kinds, and the high forests are changed into low

growth. The reverse is seldom the case.

Quantity of timber

It is interesting to consider

the quantity of timber furnished annually by our forests

with regard to its grades of quality. The following tables show us the

quantities of timber felled during the last three years:

STATE FORESTS

Building material in cubic

metres.           Fuel in cubic metres.     Charcoal In kilograms.

1901      56,43163              190,28656           1,244,806

1902      94,67638              206,82252           1,246,336

1903      87,30140              209,87323           1,438,351

PARISH FORESTS             

1901      98,48949              346,58185           3,397,829

1902      160,35680            639,05795           3,911,189

1903      131,9497o           564,98473           4,362,816

PRIVATE PROPERTY       

1901      116,22510            509,36015           1,350,474

1902      100,92079            686,23228           1,357,271

1903      142,69404            590,46144           757,005

To these figures should be

added the quantity oi timber which is cut in a contraband fashion, and this is

considerable.

These figures, reduced to a

standard area for all classes of forests, prove :

(1)          That a hectare of the State forests yields on an average:

08084 cm. of building timber.

08672 cm. of fuel

48353 kilograms of charcoal.

(2)          That a hectare of the parish forests yields on an average:

08083 cm. of building timber.

08330 cm. of fuel.

2848 kilograms of charcoal.

(3)          That a hectare of the forests of private owners yields on

an average:

8821 cm. of building timber.

077 cm. of fuel.

2801 kilograms of charcoal.

Revenue of the products and

byproducts of the forests during the same three years :

STATE FORESTS

Year.     Building timber. Francs. Fuel.

Franca. Byprod ucta. Franca.      Total.

Franca.

1901      88,49714              135,15707           16,948   230,60221

1902      140,32315            154,11486           22,850   317,28801

1903      184,20773            181,73209           25,411   391,35081

                               PARISH FORESTS             

Year.     Building timber. Franca.               Fuel.

Franca. Byproducts.

Francs. Total.

Franca.

1901      I42,3018I2           303,03616           12051    457,38828

1902      185,67802            357,11287           16767    559,55789

1903      198,26597            365,22599           12439    575,93096

No allowance is made for

illegal felling.

From these data we can see

that a hectare of State forest brings in 0*34 francs per annum, and a hectare

of parish forest 0*34 francs. This small yield may be attributed to the low

tariff for State and parish timber, and to the heavy cost of transport. The

revenues are equal because of the uniformity of these tariffs.

2. VARIETIES OF TREES

Bulgaria possesses a great

variety of leafbearing trees and conifers; those of the former class are most

abundant. Those specially cultivated are the oak (Quercus pedunculate, Q.

sessiliflora, Q. cents); the beech (Fagus sylvatica); the common ash (Fraxinus

excelsior); the elm (Ulmus campestris, U. effusa, U. montend); the plane tree

(Acer platenoides, A* pseudoplatanus, A. campestre); the yokeelm (Carpinus

bettu lus); the lime (Tibia grandifolia, T. parvifolio, T. argentea); the

willow (Salix caprea, S. pentandra); the poplar (Populus tretnula, P. alba, P.

nigra). The commonest conifers are the pine (Pinus sylvestris, P. austriaca, P.

pence, P. mughus) and the fir (Picea excelsa, P. pidinata).

The forests of the

Principality are rich in shrubs and herbs of all kinds. Among the more

noteworthy are the following : Alnus viridis, Berberis vulgaris, Cerasus

chamaecerasus, Cornis (C. mas, C. sanguinea, C. pentogyna), Daphne mesereum,

Hedena Helix, Ligustrum vulgare, Lonicera (L. xylosieutn, L. caprifolia, L.

nigra), Prunus spinosa, Ramnus (R. catharactica, R. frangula), Rus cotinus,

Rosa (R. alpina, R. conina), Salix (5. fragilis, S. purpurea, S. viminalis),

Satnbucus (S. racemosa), Vaccinum (V. myrtillus, V. vitisidaeca), Vibutnum (V.

opulis, V. lantena), Viscum album, etc.

PATROLLING OF THE FORESTS

The patrolling of the forests is confided,

as we have already seen, to special keepers. There are 500 of these for the

State forests and 2,135 for the parish forests. That is to say there is a

keeper to every I,8O5 hectares of State forest and to every 734 hectares of

parish forest.

In spite of the keepers’ vigilance, much

damage is done in malice or by theft. The country people have not yet grasped

the importance of the preservation of forests for rural economy, and the

keepers are not yet well trained for performing their difficult task.

GENERAL CONDITION OF THE FORESTS

All the forests of the Principality are not

as yet classified, still less subdivided and surveyed and their boundaries

marked. All have not as yet been seriously taken in hand.

No distinction has been made between

forests pure and simple and the other possessions of the Bulgarian peasant.

Vineyards are to be found among the forests, and are in their turn divided by

fields and meadows; all these things shade into one another. That is the reason

why our peasants do not, as yet, see any great difference between a meadow and

a forest, a vineyard and a meadow. They pasture their cattle anywhere and

everywhere and at any time, without distinguishing between young forests and

old ones, without even any regard to fresh plantations. This is the way with

most of the peasants, and it results from their notions of rural economy. Hence

come all the difficulties which hinder at every step the work of restoring and

preserving our forests.

On the other hand, the Bulgarian government

makes every effort to stop the devastation of forests and establish a state of

things which shall safeguard the wellbeing of the rural population.

The finest forests of tall timber lie on the

most inaccessible heights of StaraPlanina, Rilo, the Rhodopes, and Sredna Gora.

Such are the beechwoods of Berkovitza, Vratza, Teteven, and indeed those on

most of the northern slopes of StaraPlanina and SrednaGora between the village

of Klis soura (Carlovo) and StaroNovo Selo (Philippopolis).

The forests of the Rilo Monastery are

particularly rich and well preserved. These forests would form the basis of a

very profitable speculation if the necessary funds were forthcoming. An

important Sofia firm (Balabanoff brothers) has purchased the concession for

twenty years, starting from 1902. The Rilo forests are coniferous.

The ash and elm plantations at Longosa,

along the river Kamtschia to the Black Sea, 30 kilometres from Varna, deserve

special mention. Lower down, there are woods of low growth, the timber of which

is particularly hard and good; for instance, the woods of Hasakia at Bourgas,

of Guenichada at Varna, of Balaband£r6 at Autos, and Caramas Kala at Anchialo.

Altogether, the forests of the Principality

are of great promise, thanks to the natural richness of the country, even

though as yet their importance has not been universally realised.

The improvement of our forests demands

enormous sacrifices, but on the other hand a time will come when the revenue

from the forests will play an important part in the State budget. The Bulgarian

Government, fully aware of its duties and its interests, concentrates its

efforts to this end: to make our forests, by the simplest means, in the near

future a source of riches, which are so sorely needed by the young State for

the completion of its organisation.

Neighborhoods of Varna

Plantation has been, and unfortunately

still is, carried on in a very primitive fashion. However, in the neighborhoods

of Varna, Pravadia, Anchialo, Altos, Bourgas, Peschtera, and

elsewhere there are excellent plantations of a better class. The woods are

thick and in good condition, consisting of magnificent oaks, pines, and Picea

excelsa. The trees are tall, round, and smooth. These better kinds of trees are

rare in the other districts, or only to be found in small isolated groups. Good

thick forests have been preserved in outoftheway places difficult of access. No

doubt, when they are connected with the principal arteries of modem traffic

they will be the object of remunerative undertakings.

As to the quality of the kinds of wood, it

should be observed that it is superior to those of exotic growth. Bulgarian

timber is distinguished by its numerous annual rings, its bright colours, rich

structure, and relative flexibility. In a word, it possesses all the qualities

which make wood durable and useful for all kinds of purposes.

As regards climate and vegetation, Bulgaria

may be divided into four zones:

(1)          The

Warm Zone.—This zone is partly lowlying, partly as high as 400 metres above

sealevel. Formerly it was covered by vast forests. Their place is now occupied

by plains under cultivation. The soil is damp for a considerable depth. The

characteristic tree of the zone is the Quercus pedunculate, which is to be

found by itself or mixed with Ulmus,Acer cam pestre, Fraxinus, Carpinus and

Tilia. Quercus cerris flourishes in poor dry land.

(2)          The

Moderate Zone runs almost parallel above the first. The characteristic tree is

Quercus sessiliflora. The plantations are thick, the trees tall and well grown.

In the higher districts the beech is also to be found.

(3)          The

Cold Zone begins where beeches are to be found, and reaches an altitude of

1,300 metres above sealevel. The principal tree is the beech; indeed this zone

might be called the Beech Zone. Although the largest and most wooded of the

three, it is the least valuable; lying as it does in hilly districts, cut off

from means of communication, its immense reserves of timber cannot be utilised.

There are very beautiful woods composed entirely of beech, and others where the

beech occurs mixed with ash and plane. The southern slopes of Rilo and the

Rhodopes and their valleys abound in firs. The higher districts of the beech

zone contain the Picea excelsa, which grows at still higher altitudes.

(4)          The

fourth and highest zone of vegetation extends from 1,300 to 2,000 metres above

sealevel. It begins with the beech, mixed with Picea excelsa, but the latter

has almost the monopoly of this zone, and very thick woods of it are to be

found. The lower boundaries are scattered with pines, above which Pinus pence

grows in beautiful groups or fine single trees. Above this (1,800 metres above

sealevel) Pinus mughus appears among the Picea excelsa. Still higher there is

nothing but bare rocks.

Forests of Bulgaria

The vertical partition of the forests

of Bulgaria is shown in the following table :

Owners.              Up

to 400 m. above sea. Hectares.          4001

,000 m. above sea. Hectares.          1,0003,000

m. above sea. Hectares.

The State            296,5469              347,5467              258,525

Parishes              791,365                466,6487              307,2283

Private owners 314,30745            179,38185           79,57885

                1,402,21935        993,577*25         645,3318

Administration of Forests

The superintendence of the forests of the

Principality is in the hands of the Ministry of Commerce and Agriculture. A

special department of the Ministry is charged with the execution of the forest

laws. The staff consists of a chief of the department, an inspectorgeneral of

forests, an engineer for forests, and two assistant chiefs.

The territory is divided into forest

districts, each including several administrative centres which, in turn,

control a certain number of forest stations.

In accordance with the budget of 1905, the

service is performed by six district inspectors, forty foresters, and twenty

adjuncts. This is, so to speak, the upper staff of the administration of

forests. There is, therefore, a district inspector to every 506,856‘4 hectares

and a forester to every 76,028*15 hectares.

This year the Ministry created a special

bureau to superintend the canalization of mountain streams. It is to consist of

a chief of the department (a foreigner), two assistant chiefs (one of whom is

to be a foreigner), an engineer, a draughtsman, and an administrator. The

bureau will start work as soon as the staff is appointed.

Considerable technical knowledge is

required of the upper staff of foresters. The six district inspectors have gone

through a thorough training in their speciality. Of the forty foresters,

twenty-eight have passed through a school of forestry, six have had a special

training, and the others are all more or less prepared for the service.

The duty of patrolling the forests is

confided to keepers specially appointed for the purpose. The budget provides

for one keeper to every 1,500 hectares of forest and from three to seven

foresters of a higher grade to every administrative center. There are, besides,

a great number of subalterns for different services. All this staff belongs to

the State; the parish forests also employ foresters, one to every 50,000

hectares.

Functionaries budget

The salaries of all these functionaries

are provided for in the budget as follows:

A district inspector of the first class

receives 4,800 francs per annum, with 600 francs for travelling expenses.

A district inspector of the second class

receives 4,200 francs per annum with 600 francs for travelling expenses.

A forester of the first class receives

3,600 francs per annum, with 300 francs for the keep of a horse.

A forester of the second class receives

3,000 francs per annum, with 300 francs for the keep of a horse.

A forester of the third class receives

2,400 francs per annum, with 300 francs for the keep of a horse.

An adjunct of the first class receives

2,100 francs per annum, with 240 francs for the keep of a horse.

An adjunct of the second class receives

1,440 francs per annum, with 240 francs for the keep of a horse.

A head keeper receives 1,080 francs per

annum, a mounted keeper 840 francs, a keeper 600 francs.

The keepers in the parish forests receive

respectively: head keepers 900 francs, mounted keepers 720 francs, keepers 480

francs.

Private owners of forests are obliged to

employ their own keepers.

The total budget for forests in the year

1905 was 739,820 francs, 641,829 francs of which was spent in salaries, the

remaining 98,000 francs on the improvement of the forests.