History of the Forest 281 



timber still persisted. The protection of the game was 

 still considered of paramount importance by the nobles 

 who owned the larger part of the forests, and for more 

 than a century the control of the forests as wood-pro- 

 ducers was in the hands of the game wardens. Moreover, 

 the peasants' rights of usage, which had become so firmly 

 established that it was impossible to stop them, were now 

 found to interfere seriously with the proper handling of 

 the forests. 



However, the proper solution of the problem had been 

 found, and the work developed rapidly. Schools were 

 established for the training of men to take care of the for- 

 ests, and experiment stations worked out the best methods 

 of treatment. It was recognized as an important factor 

 in the nation's welfare and placed on an independent basis. 

 Long before the development of transportation facilities 

 made possible the cutting of the last of the natural forests 

 and before the pinch of the timber famine was very seri- 

 ously felt, there were mature forests that had been planted 

 out and cared for in systematic manner. 



Every stick of timber that Germany uses to-day has been 

 grown from seed under a definite system of management 

 and as carefully cultivated as any crop in the country. 

 This management has been so successful that every acre 

 of forest land in the government forests yields a net revenue 

 to the state annually averaging about $2.50. Some forests 

 yield as high as $12.50 an acre. Moreover, they are fur- 

 nishing steady employment to hundreds of thousands of 

 men throughout the country and thus distributing millions 

 of dollars among the classes most in need. 



Many of the cities manage their own municipal forests 



