CONTINENTAL NOTES — GERMANY. 215 



pine forests; but the same method of cultivation was, for many 

 years, appUed to areas capable of producing good mixed forest 

 growth, and was, moreover, not limited to cases where new 

 forests had to be created, but was, in the desire for larger 

 and earlier profits, extended to areas already under a mixed 

 forest cover. The increased profits expected were but rarely 

 realised ; the productive power of the soil was frequently reduced 

 under pure pine cover, and in some cases it was impaired to 

 such an extent as to necessitate considerable effort and outlay to 

 restore it to its original vigour, which might have been retained 

 by a more rational treatment. 



The Zerrin forests are given as an example of the incalculable 

 harm that has been done by the most well-intentioned, but 

 misdirected, efforts. These forests had been maltreated for 

 centuries, and were subject to the most intolerable servitudes 

 till about 1830. When at last it became possible to bring 

 them under regular management, they were, to all appearance, 

 in an utterly ruined condition. The forest officers of the 

 time evidently did not believe in the possibility of their recovery, 

 or were too impatient ; under any circumstances, whatever 

 may have been their reasons, they introduced clear fellings 

 and cultivation with pure Scots pine, in which, at that time, 

 everybody in the forest world had an unbounded belief. Every 

 effort was made to eradicate the deciduous trees from the 

 ground, and even temporary cultivation of field crops was 

 resorted to with this in view. 



When judged by the present state of the forest growth, 

 the result of these operations, which, unfortunately, went on 

 for years, is utterly disappointing, for in all cases where nature 

 has been allowed to do her work, a well-grown mixed forest of 

 beech, oak, and pine, from 90 to 140 years old, covers the ground ; 

 whereas in all areas where the extermination of the broad 

 leaved species succeeded, a badly-grown open pine forest exists. 

 Where the eradication of the deciduous species was either 

 incomplete, or where these trees re-established themselves from 

 the adjacent forests, a healthy mixture has grown up, with 

 every prospect that it will grow into mature forest equal to 

 those left untouched. The loss of time and money is, in these 

 cases, the only matter to be regretted. 



As a guide for the future, these observations by Forstmeister 

 Krause are invaluable, and doubtless similar treasures of 



