IMPRESSIONS OF FORESTRY IN THE SCHWARZWALD. l6l 



of growing stock, it is unsurpassed by any other conifer, so that 

 it is an excellent soil-protector. 



The stems approach very near to the cylindrical, the form 

 factor being higher than for any other coniferous species. In 

 the Black Forest, also, silver fir is only very sUghtly affected by 

 injurious insects. 



From an altitude of 2000 feet and upwards the spruce gets more 

 numerous in the mixture, and at 2500 feet, where there is greater 

 humidity of soil and atmosphere, it is the prevailing species. 

 The spruce is not wind-firm like the silver fir, and, owing to its 

 liability to damage from gales, it does not lend itself so freely to 

 natural regeneration on the flat moist ground as silver fir, but 

 higher up in the mountains, in the rocky soils, the roots get 

 better anchorage, and with cautious thinning, natural regenera- 

 tion is not only possible but is successfully practised. In the 

 low ground, however, the spruce is planted amongst the naturally 

 regenerated silver firs. 



The pine is not used to any extent on soils in good condition. 

 Where it is used its growth is satisfactory in the Black Forest, 

 and it almost equals spruce as regards shape of stem, whereas, as 

 is pointed out by Herr Philipp, the pines in the hot valleys of the 

 Rhine are frequently crooked. They are often thinly crowned 

 and poor in quality, thus showing that locality has often a good 

 deal to do with the fixing of the value as timber of any par- 

 ticular species. 



Turning again to Herr Philipp's article, we find it stated that 

 " the timber-market of the Rhine prescribes a minimum diameter 

 without bark at breast-height, for different classes of timber, as 

 follows : — 



" Class IV., 14 centimetres at the length of 8 metres. ^ 



„ HI., 17 „ „ 16 „ 



,, II-, 22 „ „ 18 „ 



„ I., 30 „ „ 18 „ " 



And "the average prices during the last few years in the Black 



Forest were : — 



"13 marks for one cubic metre of the IVth Class. 

 16 „ „ „ Ilird „ 



18 „ „ „ Ilnd „ 



20 ,, ,, ,, ISC ,, 



^ Centimetre = about '39 inch. Metre = 39 inches. Cubic metre = 35 

 cubic feet. 



