T28 JOURNAL OF FORESTRY 



the usual practice, would have been prices so high that people of mod- 

 erate means could not have gotten fuel. Most of the States, therefore, 

 took measures to restrict the trade in wood, with a view to equitable 

 distribution. 



Saxony stopped all fuelwood auctions, and all fuelwood, after sup- 

 plying the needs of the forest force, was put at the disposal of thi 

 communal organizations. Unit prices were fixed for splitwood, while 

 stumpwood and lops were sold at low prices to those who would re- 

 move them. In order to increase the amount of fuelwood available, 

 wood less than lo centimeters in diameter was not allowed to be made 

 into pulpwood, nor could sticks less than lo to 12 centimeters in diam- 

 eter be sawed into lumber. Poles could be made only in exceptional 

 cases. Every owner of 10 hectares or more of woodland was oblig-^d 

 to put at the disposal of the authorities the firewood worked up in his 

 forest, and not less than i cubic meter (stacked) for every 2 hectares 

 of productive forest soil. 



In Prussia all fuelwood had to be sold at moderate prices to the near- 

 by communes, for further distribution to their individual members. 

 Wood auctions were restricted. 



In Bavaria all forest owners were obliged, upon notice by the forest 

 authorities, to cut firewood, work it up, and turn it over to the authori- 

 ties. Wood auctions were forbidden, and for the most important fuel- 

 wood centers maximum prices were fixed. 



In Wiirttemburg a State firewood office was established. Owners of 

 corporate forests had to cut and turn over 2 stacked cubic meters, pri- 

 vate owners i cubic meter of firewood per hectare. 



In general, the production of fuelwood was regulated in such a way 

 as to abolish or greatly restrict sales by auction, to control the distribu- 

 tion of wood to consumers by the authorities or by special wood- fuel 

 offices, and to establish definite prices, either fixed or flexible. 



These measures, while as necessary during the war as the food- 

 rationing measures, have certain rather obvious disadvantages which 

 make it desirable that they be discontinued as soon as possible. Among 

 these disadvantages are : ( i ) The requirement that a fixed amount of 

 wood per hectare be cut, regardless of the species and other conditions 

 involved, is very hard on some owners, those whose forest is spruce, 

 for instance, while others, such as owners of beech forests, can meet it 

 without difficulty. (2) The real needs of consumers vary considerably 

 with the character of their houses and their social position, and cannot 

 be measured on a per-capita basis. (3) The tree value of wood varies 

 greatly at different times and in different localities, and it is not possible 



