NOTES ON CONTINENTAL FORESTRV, 



173 



Disease, and the best means of combating it." The discussion 

 was of course introduced by considering the three known possible 

 causes of this disease (frost, winter transpiration, Lophodermium 

 Pinastri), and it was accepted that the fungus was the chief 

 cause. The results of many thousands of experiments made in 

 all parts of Germany have shown that spraying the plants with 

 solutions of copper is the only effective method. Spraying has 

 only proved ineffectual in the case of young Scots pine when 

 they are just about one year old ; and, according to v. Tubeuf, this 

 is due to the primary needles of the pine being covered with a 

 thick waxy coating from which the fluid rolls off. The Bordeaux 

 mixture is the best to use, at least 2 lbs. of copper-vitriol (blue- 

 stone) being added for every 10 gallons of water. Spraying 

 should take place between ist July and 15th August, and repeated 

 annually till the plantations are four to five years old, and the cost 

 may vary from about 3s. to 8s. an acre. Plants grown from 

 Scandinavian seed seem to suffer far less in Germany from this 

 disease than those grown from German seed. 



At such reunions sport receives its fair share of attention as well 

 as forestry, and one of the four subjects of discussion at the 

 Pomeranian Forest Conference (Stargard, June 1903) was, "Is it 

 ■desirable that changes should be made in the close time for game ? 

 And, if so, what amendments should be proposed } " Such a 

 question directly interests German forest officers, who are allowed 

 to rent the shootings for deer and other game of the woodlands 

 in their charge, the rate assessed being fixed at a lower price 

 than the game is worth for ordinary household food, while the 

 head of game kept and number of red- and roe-deer to be shot off 

 in the course of each year are duly fixed like a regular annual 

 budget or working-plan. Elk are only obtainable in the Baltic 

 provinces, and chamois in the Bavarian Alps, but wild boar, red- 

 deer, and roe-deer roam throughout most of the large forests, and 

 fallow-deer also here and there; and endeavours are now being 

 made to give the two latter further protection than at present 

 exists in Prussia, by extending the close time for stags from 

 I St March to 30th June, and for hinds and calves from ist 

 February to 15th October, and for roe-bucks from ist January 

 to 30th April, and does and young deer from ist January to 

 31st October. Both in Germany and in France it is found 

 desirable to afford additional protection to roe-deer, this being 

 rendered "absolutely necessary" in Germany by the bucks 



