1256 



AMERICAN FORESTRY 



station. It was one of the richest forests in the region, 

 well served by two metaled roads, and situated between 

 the railroad station and the locality which comprises many 

 makers of wooden shoes, all being circumstances which 

 gave value to the various classes of timber. Its big oaks, 

 while not all of excellent quality, were known far and 

 wide and offered dimensions little known elsewhere. One 

 of these veterans measured 1334 feet at a height of five 

 feet, and was 53 feet high ; it was named the Big Benefit 

 Oak. Individuals from 6 feet to 8 feet in diameter were 

 common there, those measuring from 8 feet to 11 feet 

 were not rare, and there were several gauging 1 1 feet 

 and over. Groups of beeches, modern and ancient, were 

 met with and distinguished themselves by an exceedingly 



"The forest of Imprechies, a section of the same com- 

 mune, was cut to the ground, or almost ; it was stocked 

 with about the same growth as that of Monccau, though 

 a little less rich in big trees. 



"The commune of Beauwelz owned high timber on 

 copse, less thickly planted than the Monceau forests. Of 

 all the oaks, beeches, birches, and maples nothing is left 

 over almost the whole area. The "Decauville" railroad, 

 constructed for the transportation of the resinous timber 

 of the private forest, seems to have helped to consummate 

 the ruin of the forest ; the trees were felled there in the 

 copses of all ages, from six to eighteen years ! The 

 birches and other timber that could be used in manufac- 

 turing wooden shoes and for which the industry was 



AI.I, 'IH.\T IS LEI-T OF .\ BELGT.XN WOOD OCCIIPIF.D BY BRITISH TROOPS V^'UEN THIS PHOTOCiK.M'II W.AS T.AKEN AFTER 

 THE ARMISTICE. IT IS THE BOIS TRIANGULAI RE. NEAR .MERCKEN. AI.E THE SKELETON TREES STANDING ARE HEAD. 

 THE YOUNG GROWTH IS UTTERLY DESTROYED. 



rapid growth. Tall birches and big sycamori' maples 

 completed this fine high-timber forest. 



"To this forest were given the names of failles Andre, 

 Benefice, Richots, Mauvais Pas, and Atelier ; the cuttings 

 dated from 1906 to 1917. Apart from the high timber, 

 everything has disappeared : Secular oaks, groups of 

 imposing beeches, tall birches, big maples, rooted saplings, 

 staddles, moderns, ancients, superancients, young cadets, 

 tall timber of young cuttings, reserves of middle age 

 stature and old exploitations, everything was chopped 

 down to within 20 inches of the ground, and dragged 

 through copses of all ages to the roads by the pitiless 

 cable actuated by a tractor. The copse is broken up, 

 crushed, distorted, and destroyed. 



paying at tin- time at the rate of 70 francs \>i.-v .-iclual 

 cubic meter, were cut down at the same time as the oaks, 

 being cut up into logs for use in heating the fire boxes of 

 the tractors and locomotives. 



"The Germans have ruined the commune of Beauwelz, 

 and the indemnities the latter may be able to collect will 

 not restore to it its forest wealth, which has hitherto 

 been the uninterrupted source of its revenues, of wages 

 for its woodsmen, and of raw materials for its makers 

 of wooden shoes, all of which are factors of exchange 

 and benefit to the whole locality. 



"These two communes have been hit harder than the 

 others. Beauwelz was able some twenty years ago to 

 escape inroads on its timber supply such as had been 



