Some Aspects of European Forestry. 339 



inaccessible virgin forest. Its development, presumably fore- 

 shadows the development of our own primeval stands. 



It would not be fair to draw a parallel between the present 

 profits from the Black Forest and the probable future profits 

 from our own forests ; for the economic conditions of the two 

 countries are too dissimilar. However in considering the marvel- 

 ous development of the Black Forest since 1850 a few factors 

 stand out pre-eminent, providing a lesson which we Americans 

 would do well to observe- These are : 



1. Absolute protection from fire, without which no system 

 of natural regeneration is possible in forests of this character. 



2. Access to all parts of the forest by a network of per- 

 manent roads and trails ; unless the forest be rendered accessible 

 and adequate means of transportation provided, there can be no 

 forestry. 



3. Flexible methods of silviculture. No hard and fast rules 

 or text-book directions can be followed in treating the varied 

 conditions which nature presents. Seen on the ground, the 

 methods grade one into the other; successful results depend 

 on a freedom of management. "Ask the trees" once said a 

 famous German forester, "they will not fail of a reply." 



4. Patience in awaiting results. A forest which required 

 some two hundred years to grow cannot be regenerated in a 

 twelve month. Give the trees time and they will respond to the 

 stimulus of the well-directed axe. 



VII. Management of Alpine Forests in Bavaria. 



In the foregoing Article, on "Natural Regeneration in the 

 Black Forest," the silvicultural systems in vogue there are de- 

 scribed, namely the Shelterwood Compartment System, the Selec- 

 tion System, the Border Cuttings. 



The Bavarians have evolved a fourth method of natural re- 

 generation especially adapted to the Alpine forests o(f that 

 country which m.ay be styled Strip-Shelterwood Cuttings. Be- 

 fore describing this system of cutting it is well to sketch briefly 

 the general characteristics of the mountain country in which it is 

 applied at the same time pointing out the peculiar fitness of the 

 method to the local conditions. 



Southern Bavaria contains the northern extension of the Tyro- 



