IMPORTANCE OF FOREST CULTURE. 17 



and, therefore, we should prepare to satisfy as far as pos- 

 sible the demands of our people by home production. 

 It is very fortunate that coal and iron now cover many 

 demands, which otherwise would have to be satisfied by 

 still more recklessly cutting down our forests. And it 

 is very favorable to our growing industries that we can, 

 at present, easily import from other States nearly any kind 

 of wood now in use. However, we should not trifle with 

 the time that is thus left to us for considering and 

 changing the modes of the present treatment of forests ; 

 but utilize it for the introduction of systematic forest 

 culture, although the benefits of which will not be fully 

 enjoyed save ~by future generations. 



The present indications are that in the further develop- 

 ment of our State the demand for those kinds of wood 

 which are especially used in our industries, will be always 

 on the increase. And, therefore, these indications must 

 guide us in many other questions which will arise, when 

 it is to be determined what kind of forest trees to grow 

 in the various localities. We may follow this guidance 

 the more safely, as with the decreasing stock of wood 

 for industrial purposes, there will be undoubtedly a cor- 

 responding increase in its price, and, therefore, presum- 

 ably the net revenue from systematically managed forests 

 will in the future be much larger than we are at present 

 able to imagine. 



As to the revenue derived from well managed state 

 forests, the official reports published yearly by the vari- 

 ous German governments are very instructive. They 

 give not only full information in regard to the average 

 production of wood and the income from the forests, but 

 also explain the particulars of the management by which 

 their success has been attained. These publications have 

 greatly encouraged the introduction of scientific forest 

 culture in wood-lands belonging both to corporations and 

 private persons in Germany. From one of the last 



