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JOURNAL OF FORESTRY 



tioning wood and in adjudicating damages. It is pointed out that 

 promptness is indispensable in ascertaining the damage particularly. 

 Moreover, delay in reforesting will deteriorate the soil through weeds 

 and shrub growth; in the coppice neglected stocks will decay. The 

 forest service will have to supervise the use of the indemnity funds for 

 restoration. The parliament has already such legislation under 

 discussion. 



As regards the furnishing of labor, this principle of using the army 

 is recognized in farm work, but not as regards forest work. This ' 

 needs to be changed. At present prisoners (who are now employed on 

 roads) may be used for reforestation purposes and nursery work. 



L. Parde has several articles on the teachings of the war. 

 He bemoans the lack of knowledge in logging methods, utilization 

 and wood technology on the part of the forest officers, due to the fact 

 that, the timber being sold on the stump, they had no need of that 

 knowledge; so that, being called upon by the army requirements to 

 themselves attending to furnishing specified material, they were incom- 

 petent to do so satisfactorily. It is desirable after the war to eradicate 

 this ignorance, and also practice, at least to some extent, direct 

 exploitation on their own account. 



Lack of acquaintance with a variety of forest conditions that are 

 met in the country is also charged against the foresters, who should 

 be given opportunity to visit different localities and eradicate one- 

 sidedness and increase their silvicultural knowledge. 



Examples of the variety of silvicultural operations in different 

 localities (and even in the same forest) are given. Some of these may 

 be due to well-reasoned observations, others to the mere routine of 

 inherited and unreasoned processes. Broader knowledge of these 

 various practices may lead to eradication of the undesirable one. Since 

 labor will be scarce after the war, it is essential to reduce it to mere 

 necessities. 



Another lack of knowledge complained of is that the foresters 

 know nothing of foreign woods which must be imported. It was con- 

 sidered a mania of the few who occupied themselves with this den- 

 drological study. The war has taught the most skeptic that the exotic 

 woods are of great interest. 



The fact that improvement feelings and first thinnings have been 

 neglected in the broadleaf woods for lack of labor the author con- 

 siders more detrimental than the overdraft to supply the army ; at least 



