impressions of forestry in the schwarzwald. 171 



Town Water Supplies from the Forest. 



Modern sewage systems and water supplies are gradually 

 being developed in the towns and villages of the valleys and 

 plains. All new water supplies are being taken from the forest. 

 Generally (but not necessarily) the supply for any particular 

 town or commune is taken from the range of forest belonging 

 to it. These water supplies have their source where there may 

 be said to be absolutely no contamination either from human 

 habitations or from the grazing of live stock. 



While we are still debating (somewhat senselessly, perhaps) 

 whether or not a pure water supply could be got from forest 

 land, the question has been settled very effectively and in a very 

 different way in Baden. The forests have been developed first 

 of all, and now without exception the towns look to the forest for 

 a pure water supply. 



Further, the forests themselves often provide the necessary 

 capital for the laying down of the water supplies. As a rule, 

 for various reasons there are large surplus stocks of standing 

 timber in the forests, and when a commune or town requires 

 extra money for such purposes as road construction or water 

 supplies, it can very often be provided by means of one or more 

 extraordinary fellings of surplus timber, and that without in any 

 way interfering with the normal growing stock of the forest. 



Road Making. 



One of the many works of improvement going on in the 

 forests at the present time is the building in some ranges of a 

 very complete system of mountain roads. These new roads are 

 broad, well built and thoroughly macadamised. They are made 

 with easy gradients, and are preferred to tramways. Ultimately 

 they will entirely displace timber slides and other somewhat 

 primitive methods of transport in the Black Forest. 



One chief result of the making of these roads is that an 

 enhanced price can always be obtained for the timber, and they 

 make it possible for the smaller timber merchants to penetrate 

 farther into the forests for their supplies. 



Rural Life and Forest Labour Supply. 



The rate of wages for workmen is much higher in Baden than 

 in North Germany. Forest workers earn from 4 to 5 marks 



