Forestry in America. 63 



tion, showing the injustice of the methods of taxation commonly used 

 at present. It is also an attempt to adapt a complex problem to a erode 

 and difficult situation. It shows that we must build up our own Forest 

 Economics.' 



Forest Fire Insurance in Germany. By Samuel J. Record. 



Vol. II, No. I. 



Mr Record gives a brief and interesting outline of the methods of fire 

 insurance used in Germany, showing that the calculation is based on 

 one of three methods of valuation, either on the cost value of the stand, 

 on the forest expectation value, or on sale value ; and that the rate in- 

 creases with fire danger of the stand. The article gives a ghmpsc ahead 

 at very intensive forestry which probably will not be applied in the United 

 States for a number of years, but is none the less worth knowing about. 



Forestry for Railroads. By E. A. Sterling. Vol. IV, No. i. 



Mr. Sterling touches very closely the relation of the profession of for- 

 estry to the industrial world. The reason why the railroad has not taken 

 up forestry is that foresters have failed to show railroad men forestry 

 from a business standpoint. The importance of forestry to railroads lies 

 not in planting, but in the management of timber lands. 



The article is extremely interesting and instructive, but of necessity 

 too vague. Mr. Sterling does not know enough about railroading, nor 

 does any other forester. This ignorance is the vital trouble with the 

 profession generally, for, unless forestry becomes an integral part of 

 the business life of the country and answers its needs it can never be 

 of any real value to the nation. The Service must graduate to where it 

 feels ashamed of being unable to answer the questions which the railroad 

 puts to it, and which Mr. Sterling so clearly enumerates. Most certainly, 

 as he says, the Forest Service should uphold the railroad in the owner- 

 ship of timberlands and in the disposal of minor products. 



National Forest Sales on the Pacific Coast. By W. B. Greeley. 



Vol. VII, No. I. 



This article shows clearly the underlying economic and business princi- 

 ples which should and actually do guide the Forest Service in handling 

 the problem of timber sales. The principles are broad, sound and thor- 

 oughly practical and justly a deviation from the strict silvicuhural re- 

 quirements. The article is the result of clear thinking. 



Timber Bonds. By Edward A. Brainiff. Vol. VII, No. i. 



This article contains a long and very detailed account of bonds issued 

 by lumber companies on the security of their timber lands. The aothor 

 goes into all the features of these issues, giving many warnings to the 

 prospective investor, but leaving impressed upon his mind a very favorable 

 opinion of timber bonds and a keen desire to secure some. The article 

 is well written and the information imparted interesting, but its connec- 

 tion with forestry is too remote. 



XV — Legislation . 



What are the Essentiais of a State Fire Law? By E. A. Ster- 

 ling. Vol. I, No. 3. 

 This paper deals chiefly with the provisions of the California fire law, 



