GERMAN FORESTRY. 1 45 



large number of insects which infest the German and continental 

 forests generally is due to the fact that they shoot down all the 

 small birds which feed on insects. I noticed recently in Switzer- 

 land, for example, that not even a single sparrow could be seen. 



Mr Elwes, Colesborne : — I have listened to Mr Story's lecture 

 with much interest, and I do not think I have ever seen so good 

 forest photographs as he has shown us to-day. I want, however, 

 to warn some of our younger members, who in the last few years 

 have been hearing a great deal about German forestry, of the 

 great difference which exists between the conditions that prevail 

 in Germany and those prevailing in England. I do not want to 

 throw stones at German forestry, but I will say this, that after 

 twenty years' experience in travelling about, and in hunting and 

 shooting in different parts of the country, I have never seen 

 one purely German operation that I have been able to put into 

 practice to make forestry more profitable in England. One 

 thing we have learned from the Germans, and that is the great 

 advantage of mixing beech with other trees. That is a great 

 point we have learned from the Germans. Then with regard to 

 soil and climate: it is said that the soil of Germany is poorer 

 than that of England. That may be so in many parts of the 

 country, but it must be remembered that they have hot summers. 

 Everybody is out of doors, sitting taking their food and enjoying 

 themselves, by the middle of May, but that is not a state of 

 things which prevails in this country. There is no doubt that 

 the climatic conditions are very much worse for growing timber 

 in this country than they are in Germany. ^ Another point to be 

 kept in view is the object for which so many trees are grown in 

 Germany. All over Germany there is no coal. Wood is the 

 fuel. They do not want to grow great trees for fuel, but nice 

 straight spruce-poles, which, so far as I can see, are absolutely 

 unattainable in the much drier soil and climate of the greater 

 part of England.^ However you plant them, I do not think you 

 will make them grow as clean and straight as they do in 

 Germany, I know of many instances where the trees have been 

 planted and left to grow as they do in Germany, but all the 

 same you have not got the clean straight poles of the German 

 forests. The German landlords also have a great advantage 

 over those of England and Scotland in growing timber trees, 

 inasmuch as the country is not swamped with foreign timber. 

 ^ These assertions regarding climate seem erroneous. — Hon. Ed. 

 VOL. XVIII. K 



