44 FORESTRY ALMANAC 



between the Royal English and Royal Scottish Arboricultural Societies 

 on conditions that two to four pounds be given to members for use. 

 Some seeds were sent to northern and southern Ireland and others have 

 been planted in the Windsor Nurseries of the Forestry Commission. 

 Similar disposition has been made of the 1923 and 1924 shipments. 



Seeds have also been sent to be used in Italy, Czechoslovakia, 

 Belgium and Austria. These were largely for experimental pur- 

 poses, although considerable planting was done in Belgium. 



CITY AND TOWN FORESTS 



Of all of the phases of the forestry movement there is one which 

 has received proportionally small notice but which is, nevertheless, of 

 great potential importance in working out the whole broad problem 

 of recreating our forest resources. This phase is the city and town 

 forests, the village woodlot, or, as it is known in Europe, the com- 

 munal forest. 



Although no complete survey of city and town forests has ever 

 been made, it is safe to say that there are at least 500,000 forested 

 acres owned by these political units. New York, Massachusetts, 

 Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, North Carolina and Connecticut are 

 the six most active states in this direction, although the movement is 

 spreading rapidly in other states. 



The municipal or town forest may serve one or more purposes. It 

 may be created to protect the local water supply and watersheds. It 

 may be established as a community windbreak. It may be employed 

 to put to work lands owned by the community or reverted to it for 

 non-payment of taxes. It may be set aside primarily as a local timber 

 supply, providing easily accessible and cheaper wood and assuring a 

 certain amount of assistance in a period of unemployment. 



Instances are frequently cited of the success of the community 

 forest in various places in Europe. One forest is found in Forbach in 

 the Black Forest of Germany, virtually relieving the community of 

 taxes before the war. Other similar forests are found in France, 

 Germany and Switzerland, managed for a sustained yield, cut selec- 

 tively and constituting a valuable local asset. 



Such a program to succeed in the United States would require a 

 very general adoption by cities and towns, rolling up such a volume of 



