VISIT TO THE FORESTS OF BAVARIA, 1909. 73 



through an area which had been devastated by wind and snow. 

 The ground had been cleared of fallen and broken timber, and 

 the greater part of it replanted with young spruce trees, now 

 from 4 to 6 feet high. The rest of the area had been left to 

 natural regeneration, and the seedling spruces were coming up 

 in all sorts of corners and crannies where they had been able 

 to escape the attentions of browsing deer. From 3500 feet 

 upwards, the forest grew steadily thinner, the trees often 

 standing singly or in groups- amid mountain meadows grazed 

 by cattle. The difference in rapidity of growth became very 

 marked. The trees were vigorous enough, but, though 150 

 years of age, they were only half the height of the younger trees 

 in the valley below, and showed many signs of struggle with 

 gales and snowstorms. As we ascended, the spruces became 

 more and more mixed with the Alpine Stone Pine {P. Cembra), 

 a tree that flourishes in these mountains at a higher elevation 

 than any other forest tree, though its growth is very slow. And 

 at the highest point of our walk, the Stone Pine grew almost 

 alone amid patches of the dwarf Mountain Pine {F. montana). 



The view from Shachen of jagged mountain peaks, white 

 precipices, winding valleys, and forest-clad slopes, is a beautiful 

 and striking one. In a situation overlooking this fine scene is 

 an unexpected and well-arranged Botanic garden, in which we 

 were able to find out the names of many of the plants which 

 had attracted our attention on the way up. The garden 

 contains specimens of all the native mountain plants, as well as 

 specimens of foreign varieties which will thrive at that high 

 elevation. A violent and prolonged thunderstorm, which 

 happily only came on after our day's inspection was concluded, 

 sent us hurrying back to Partenkirchen, which was reached at 

 6.30 P.M. 



Aug". 3. Rain fell heavily till near midday, when we started 

 on our return journey to Munich, most of the party stopping 

 on the way to have a sail round Starnberg lake. 



Aug. 4. This was a specially instructive day for us. At 

 Partenkirchen we had seen forests in which the trees were for 

 the most part matured or maturing. On this day we were able 

 to follow the process of regenerating a forest, from the seed-bed 

 to the tree of 20 years' growth. 



The Ebersberger forest is situated about 30 miles south of 

 Munich, on fairly level ground, and covers an area of 20,000 



