I50 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
XIX. The Town-Woods of Carlsbad (Bohemia). 
By the Hon. Epiror. 
Somehow or another, the notion seems to be widespread in 
Britain that the application of a methodical working-plan to the 
management of woodlands practically means destroying their wild, 
natural beauty and producing nothing but crops of gaunt, bare 
stems like telegraph-poles. But nothing can well be wider of 
the mark than any such random rush to a conclusion. The 
primary object of any and of every working-plan should be to 
submit practical proposals, by the acceptance and carrying out of 
which the intentions of the proprietor (whatever these may be) 
shall be given effect to—as thoroughly, as quickly, and as 
economically as possible. It therefore naturally follows that the 
prescriptions of different working-plans may vary as widely as 
the intentions of the individual landowners, and that when the 
desire of the owner is mainly in the direction of ornamental 
effect, an Arboricultural Working-Pian, based on sound scientific 
foundations, must necessarily be something quite different from 
a purely Sylvicultural Working-Plan, having for its avowed 
chief object the production of timber-crops on strict business 
principles. 
The best example known to me of an Arboricultural Working- 
Plan for extensive woodlands is that which was introduced some 
years ago for the management of the town-woods of Carlsbad, 
the seat of the celebrated mineral springs in Bohemia. And the 
success which has attended the carrying out of the prescriptions 
of this scheme for management on esthetic principles seems to 
me to make it desirable to introduce this subject to the closer 
attention of landowners, land-agents, and foresters in Britain. 
The beneficent results obtainable by drinking and bathing in 
the warm mineral waters of Carlsbad have been known for at 
least 700 years, as is proved by ancient legal deeds; and the 
springs are so celebrated as now, despite the powerful competition 
of many rival establishments, to have attracted, during each of 
the last two years, about 55,000 “‘cure-guests” to undergo the 
course of treatment for two to four weeks, besides more than twice 
that number of casual tourists. One of the great attractions 
of Carlsbad for the “cure-guest” has always been, from time 
