Some Aspects of European Forestry. 145 



1 873- 1 878 the net income was 2.66% per annum. 

 1879-1883 the net income was 2.35% per annum- 

 1 884- 1 888 the net income was 2.43% per annum. 

 1889-1893 the net income was 1.96% per annum. 

 1 894- 1 898 the net income was 1.51% per annum. 

 1899-1903 the net income was 1.34% per annum. 

 1903- 1908 the net income was 1.49% per annum. 



The last five years show, at last, a slight increase. 



This is concurrent with the increased percentage of species 

 other than spruce. Spruce in 1899 occupied 98% of the conifer- 

 ous area; pine 2%. Spruce in 1909 occupied 91% of the conifer- 

 ous area; pine 9%. 



The Saxon foresters have come to realize clearly that repeated 

 crops of pure spruce are a thing of evil. As in Prussia, the tend- 

 ency is away from pure stands and towards mixed stands.* The 

 beech, that patient "mother of the forest" is being brought into 

 requisition to rejuvenate the soil. Beech is sown or planted in 

 with spruce ; beech and other hardwoods which may be present on 

 a cutting area are retained in order that they may disseminate 

 themselves and grow up with the coniferous seedlings. 



But although Saxon foresters have been forced to abandon 

 their time-honored principle of pure stands, they have clung 

 tenaciously to artificial as against natural regeneration- Only 

 in the method has there been a change. Formerly all the spruce 

 stands were created by sowing ; now planting is used except in the 

 most favorable sites. Of course, the sowing is decidedly cheaper, 

 but the resulting stand was unnecessarily dense, and yet a lesser 

 density was impossible, because of the great damage the deer and 

 other game did to the young plants. Planting costs more at first, 

 but is cheaper in the long run because the growth is better and 

 the injury through game more easily prevented — as, for instance, 

 by sticking brush alongside of the plants or daubing the growing 

 tips with whitewash. 



Four, and in some cases five year old transplants are planted 

 exclusively, i. e. 2-2 or 2-3 stock. On very difficult sites balled 

 plants are used. The seedlings are usually transplanted when 



* In this connection it is interesting to note the flying out of the fir 

 (Abies pectinata) in Saxony. Some attribute this to factory smoke; others 

 claim that repeated spruce crops have rendered the soil unfit for fir. 



