5o8 Forestry Quarterly. 



lion cubic feet of spruce. "Extensive" forest fires are reported, 

 34 of them having destroyed 2,200 acres entirely or partially ! 



The annual cut in the Prussian State Forests has increased 

 since 1870, almost regularly, from year to year, so that now it is 

 almost double what it was 40 years ago, with now 58.3 cubic feet 

 timberwood and about 12 cubic feet other inferior wood, and the 

 timberwood per cent, increased from 30 to 63 (75% in conifers), 

 showing most strikingly the improvement of the forests. But 

 the income has more than doubled, the gross income having risen 

 from $1.66 to $4.35, the net yield, however, only from 87 cents to 

 $1.94. Indeed, 1907, the net yield was higher, namely $2.42; 

 this decrease is largely due to the generous improvement of the 

 salaries. The rise in wood prices has been since 1895 when they 

 were at a lower level than the two previous years from 7 cents 

 per cubic foot for workwood to 9 cents in 1909, and for fuel- 

 wood from 2f to 3^^ cents per cubic foot. But these are also 

 decreases from conditions in 1907, when the corresponding 

 prices were 10.6 and 3! cents. This loss is due to general depres- 

 sion and increased importations from Russia, in some districts 

 also to the increased cut occasioned by the ravages of the nun. 



A further depressing influence is found in the increased use 

 of metal ties, so that now 35% of the railroads are on metal, the 

 purchase of wooden ties having fallen from 7.6 millions in 1906 

 to 3.3 millions in 1910, and this mostly (over 70%) imported, at 

 fuelwood prices. In the direction of mine timber as well as build- 

 ing timber, the competition of iron is also felt. 



The movement of wood of all kinds on the German railways 

 amounts now to around 19 million tons, mostly (except 2 mil- 

 lion tons) home product, as imports are mainly carried by water. 

 The imports have increased until in 1907 they amounted to over 

 7.5 million tons, then sinking to 7 million in 1909, which is still 

 between 40 and 50% more than the first quinquennium of the 

 century. 



This import translated into cubic feet represents around 380 

 million cubic feet of round material. Over 50 per cent, of the 

 import of sizeable material comes in logs to be manufactured in 

 the country. The imports are discussed in some detail, showing 

 that Russia increasingly ships to Germany, now furnishing over 

 one-half of the workwood, and Austria sending over one-quarter, 



