124 FORESTS IN ALSACE-LOBRAINE. [Dec, 



to fell it at their own expense. With a view of maintaining in their 

 integrity the natural defences of the country, every obstacle had been 

 placed by the authorities in the way of regular highways being con- 

 structed in the forests of the border districts. Thus the German 

 of&cials in charge of forests had to devise and execute by degrees a 

 new system of road communications, intended to facilitate the trans- 

 port of wood. Progress was rapidly made in this direction, no less 

 than 350 miles of new roads having been constructed between 1872 

 and 1877. Thus the administrative Government of the province did 

 not shrink from the expenditure involved by such measures as were 

 taken in the interest of the future welfare of the annexed districts. 



The statistics available as to the annual yield of wood and the 

 profits realised are both lucid and interesting. The average quantity 

 of wood sold per acre in the Government forests is estimated at about 

 57 cubic feet ; that in the forests belonging to district administrations 

 being about 12^ per cent, more. Comparison of these figures with 

 those affecting other localities is difficult, from the fact that the 

 results obtained are influenced by a variety of causes, such as soil, 

 climate, description of wood, d!|e of trees, &c. ^ These influences can 

 seldom be the subject of exact calculations. The movement of prices 

 within the last ten years is illustrated by the fact that the average 

 price of all assortments of wood has varied between 4d. per cubic 

 foot in 1873, and 2|d. in 1882. The average gross receipts per acre 

 of wooded surface during that period has been about 17s. 8d., of 

 which 92 per cent, has been produced by the yield of wood ; the 

 expenses representing on an average about 48 per cent, of the gross 

 amount received. The results in other parts of Germany have been 

 found more favourable, the yield of wood being higher. It is, how- 

 ever, anticipated upon good authority that an improvement in this 

 respect will take place in Alsace-Lorraine before long. 



According to statistics published in connection with the recent 

 German Forestry Congress, it would seem that the Code forestier is 

 still practically recognised in Alsace-Lorraine ; more particularly 

 with regard to the forests which belong to district authorities. It 

 would seem that the increase of Pines in certain districts has tended 

 to produce in such localities an exhaustion of the productive capacity 

 of the soil. Beech and White Pir each occupy one-third of the entire 

 surface, according to details'put forward, while Oak is found in the 

 higher districts in the proportion of 11*6 per cent. 



T. W. B. 



