Periodical Literature. 347 



Prices for wood have risen at the rate of z\ to 2,2% P er annum 

 for the last 12 years. Mine timbers especially rose in price, owing 

 to the increase in coal prices which invited the miners to develop 

 deeper pockets with more extended use of timber. Mine props in 

 1906 brought, delivered, 14 cents, in 1907 17 cents per cubic foot. 



Imports, mostly from Russia, have nearly doubled in the last six 

 years, imports over exports rising gradually from 3,703,000 tons 

 in 1902 to 7,201,000 tons in 1907. This latter figure, the highest 

 so far attained, can be translated into 500 million cubic feet of 

 forest grown logs, or 25 per cent, more than the home cut. 



This enormous activity in the wood market found a check in ex- 

 tensive strikes in the building trades so that prices sank in many 

 cases by 15% below those of the previous year. 



Although a new tariff had reduced the duties on both logs and 

 timber considerably, an influence of this feature on imports is 

 discredited, the industrial conditions alone being responsible for 

 the increase. It is interesting to note that nearly 50 per cent, of 

 the import is by water, in the eastern rivers by means of rafts, on 

 the Rhine and Donau by vessel. 



To check the loss of forest labor by emigration to town, the 

 State is building houses for laborers, is introducing scales of wages 

 which increase with length of service and is encouraging immi- 

 gration from Russia, and giving financial assistance in various 

 ways. 



In Eberswalde, workmen receive 83 cents, after three years an 

 increase of 8 cents and, after 6 years, an additional 16 cents per 

 day. Wood choppers who have worked one winter for six weeks 

 receive in the following winters premiums for every week they 

 work, from 25 to 75 cents per week ; railroad fares are paid them, 

 and other means to keep labor in the woods are resorted to. 



Educational changes consist in lengthening the term at the for- 

 est academies to three years. 



An association of private forest officials was founded in 1904, 

 which in 1908 had 2,553 members. In 1906 it instituted a school 

 for forest rangers which is succeeful. Short courses are given in 

 various districts. The association also holds examinations outside 

 this school to which 202 persons were admitted in 1909. Since 

 there are about 16 million acres of private forest in Germany these 

 efforts to secure properly prepared foresters outside of the gov- 



