STATE FORESTS OF PRUSSIA. 149 
exceeds 18 stones, but his antlers are massive, though rather 
deficient in points. 
The streams of the Harz abound in trout, and the supply is well 
maintained by the action of the Government in distributing ova 
every year amongst the various forest districts, each of which is 
provided with a hatchery. 
The permanent staff of forest workmen at the disposal of the 
administration numbers about 1000. At busy times, especially 
when sowing and planting are in full swing, additional hands, 
mostly women, are engaged temporarily. As much of the work 
lies in remote parts of the forest, it is found necessary to erect 
sheds for the accommodation of the labourers, who, at such times, 
only visit their homes on Saturday nights. 
The permanent workmen are all registered, and each must work 
in any part of the district where his services may be required. 
They are all members of the Clausthal Mutual Provident Associa- 
tion (established 1713), which provides annuities for widows and 
orphans, pecuniary assistance during sickness or when incapaci- 
tated by accident, free medical advice and medicine, old age 
pensions, etc. The annual income of the society is about £3750, 
of which the State furnishes £1500, and the members the balance 
by monthly contributions. 
Day labour is paid at the rate of about 2s. 3d. per day, while 
contract labour—and this is most general—yields from 2s. 6d. to 
3s. 6d. per day. At present a considerable amount of labour is 
being employed on road-making, much attention being at present 
bestowed on this important element in the development of a forest 
district. 
The markets in the Harz for spruce timber are very good, and 
prices run high. Firewood is not sold, because the various towns 
and villages, having the right to be supplied with a certain 
amount of firewood annually, it practically takes all the wood 
of this kind available to meet their requirements. As showing 
what a serious matter this servitude is, it may be mentioned that 
the two small towns of Clausthal and Zellerfeld alone have a right 
to over 17,000 cords of wood annually. To supply this firewood, 
timber has often to be cut before it is mature; but an arrange- 
ment has now been come to by which the villages are paid 18s. 
for each cord of wood that they are entitled to, but which they 
have not received. During the financial year 1893-94 spruce 
timber 20 inches in diameter sold for an average price of about 
83d. per cubic foot, English measurement. 
The average annual gross revenue from timber sales in the 
forests of the Upper Harz for the three financial years ending 
with 1892 was £141,175. During the same period the average 
annual expenses were £47,784, the nett annual income being thus 
