FOREST STATISTICS 13 



presented in systematic arrangement, emanated from a number 

 of professors and others interested in the subject. This 

 book appeared in the latter half of the eighteenth century, 

 but was sadly deficient in technical knowledge. In their 

 terminology the compilers availed themselves largely of 

 the works of a French author (Duhamel du Monceau). 

 This class of literature continued to become more involved 

 later in the same century, owing to a confusion of ill-under- 

 stood yet increasingly numerous terms. 



For long a process had been working wherein the forester 

 gradually replaced the huntsman in the woods. These men, 

 giving their attention to woodcraft, were able to chronicle 

 their observations for the benefit of their profession. Late 

 faulty writings found their corrective in the literary efforts of 

 those more practical men. 



At the beginning of the nineteenth century forestry was 

 still dealt with in literature as a comprehensive whole. 

 Thus the works of Hartig, Cotta, Hundeshagen, and Pfeil 

 traverse the whole range of sylvicultural science and practice. 

 This ceased about 1830. Writers have specialised more 

 since then, and have usually preferred to deal with particular 

 branches of the subject. 



CHAPTER II 

 FOREST STATISTICS 



Scope and Arrangement of Forest Statistics 



STATISTICS bear very directly upon the economic problems of 

 forestry. If carefully gathered, they are excellent guides 

 for future action, being based on experience in the past or 

 on existing conditions. They consist of the collection and 

 arrangement of facts bearing on many topics, such as matters 



