424 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



XXXII. A Visit to German Forests. By Fraser Story, 

 Assistant-Factor, The Glen, Innerleithen. 



It has been suggested to me that some notes on a visit which I 

 recently made to Germany may prove helpful to those "who con- 

 template a similar tour. 



The reputation -which German forestry enjoys in Scotland and 

 throughout the world happily frees me from the necessity of ex- 

 plaining why I elected to visit Germany. The forest management 

 of that country is characterised by scientific knowledge, and by 

 skill and economy; and my object was to learn some of the many 

 lessons which it teaches. During my stay I had the advantage 

 of Professor Schwappach's friendship. In Eberswalde he ex- 

 tended to me his personal guidance and instruction, and all my 

 subsequent journeys were taken under his advice. My course of 

 study was thus directed by Prof. Schwappach, whose good name 

 also secured for me, wherever I went, the most perfect courtesy. 

 Owing to his able direction, I saw what was best and most typical 

 in German forestry, and this fact gives me some confidence in 

 penning the following notes. The journeys were undertaken in 

 the order in which they are here set down; and to aid in locating 

 the different places mentioned, I have arranged them under the 

 names of the States in which they are situated. 



Brandenburg. 



The district of Eberswalde, in the province of Brandenburg, 

 naturally falls to be described first, because it was there that I 

 spent the first four months of my visit. It may be that the 

 Forest Academy of Eberswalde is more famous than its woods, 

 but for me the latter had the greater interest. I did not go to 

 Germany to study in the lecture-room, and it was with no serious 

 thoughts of class-work that I matriculated at the Academy, and 

 even enrolled myself as a member of two classes. To go to these 

 classes, however, and to inspect the rich collections of the 

 Academy, were pleasures of which I could not too often avail 

 myself. Being entered as a student of the Academy, one is able 

 with the better grace to attend the College excursions. These 

 take place regularly several times a week, and embrace studies 

 in botany, entomology, geology, and land surveying ; but the 

 most important excursions are those connected with the practical 



