486 AMERICAN FORESTRY 



forests is no new thing in forestry in The village of Aufen has 220 in- 



Europe. It has long been carried on habitants and 163 acres of forest. It 



there by cities and communal organiza- gives each citizen eight cubic meters of 



tions, and to their financial profit, too; wood (value, $12), and sells $1,440 



and I beg indulgence to give a few sta- worth annually. The sanctioned an- 



tistics which have been furnished me nual yield of this forest is 137,500 board 



by a friend who secured them recently feet — about 800 feet per acre, 



from original sources in Germany : We may not yet have reached the point 



The Grand Duchy of Baden con- when townships and counties must 



tains 3,726,732 acres of forest, of which undertake restoration and care of for- 



577,465 — about sixteen per cent — be- ests, but the period is fast approaching 



longs to communities and corporations, when some of the counties in this state 



These are allowed to cut annually 261,- whose areas are composed largely of 



724,000 board feet, with a value of cut-over and burned-over forest lands, 



about $3,600,000, free from the expense will be compelled to take such lands for 



of cutting. This shows a yield of 700 unpaid taxes, and will then receive no 



board feet per acre ; our forests do not income from them whatever, and unless 



exceed 125 feet. relief shall come in some way not now 



The city of Baden owns 10,576 acres, seen they will, ere long, face bank- 



which yield a net annual income of ruptcy and possible extinction as county 



$6.25 per acre. organizations. But we have some bor- 



The city of Frieburg has 8,085 acres, oughs and cities which may now profit- 



and receives $5.79 net per acre annu- ably engage in it in an official capacity 



ally. — in part as a business transaction, but 



The city of Heidelberg possesses more for securing and controlling an 



6,860 acres, and it brings in annually ample and uncontaminated water sup- 



$1.91 per acre. This city is acquiring ply. This has been made possible in our 



forest land, and is in the period of ex- state by an act passed at the last ses- 



pense ; besides, the city looks more to sion of the legislature, largely through 



esthetics than for income from forests, the instrumentality of the American 



The city of Villingen has 8,822 acres. Civic Association. By its provisions, 



and receives annually a net return of municipalities can engage in forestry ; 



$4.84 per acre. but for some unaccountable reason, the 



The village of Braunlingen has 1,600 act mentioned was robbed of an impor- 

 inhabitants and owns 3,504 acres. The tant feature — the right of eminent do- 

 yearly annual allowance is 2,500,000 main. However, that can be restored, 

 board feet — 700 feet per acre — of which and undoubtedly will be, by a more 

 an equivalent of 3,500 board feet is enlightened legislature, 

 given each citizen, and 100,000 board Now, to illustrate this view of the 

 feet is given to schools, churches, town possibilities of municipal undertaking 

 hall, etc. The timber sold brings in in forestry, permit me to cite the case 

 an annual income of $21,600, so that of the great city of Philadelphia. Sup- 

 the community is not only free from all posing it had purchased a few years 

 communal taxes, but is able to estab- ago from 100,000 to 200,000 acres of 

 lish modern works, as electric plants, land in the counties of Monroe and 

 water-works, schoolhouses, churches. Pike, in this state, which could have 

 etc. been secured at an expense of not ex- 



The village of Volterdingen has 784 ceeding $2.50 per acre, and probably 



inhabitants and owns 1,124 acres. The less. Upon most of this there was a 



annual allowance is 675,000 board feet growth of young timber, which, by 



—600 feet per acre— and the village proper treatment, and adding thereto 



realizes more than enough to be free by planting, could have been made pro- 



from all communal taxes,'and to be able ductive enough to soon aid in defraying 



to keep the village on a good financial expenses for care, and by the lapse of 



footing. forty years, or thereabouts, come into 



