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FORESTRY INVESTIGATIONS U. P. DEPARTMENT OF AURICCLTURE. 



The following figures show these ownership relations for the eight larger States, which 

 involve !>G per cent of the total area of the empire: 



This same relation, expressed in per cent, becomes: 



The condition of the forests to a great extent depends on the degree of supervision or control 

 exercised by the State authorities. It is best in all cases in the State forests, is equally good in 

 the corporation forests under State control, and is poorest in the private forests, particularly those 

 of small holders. 



STATE CONTROL. 



The amount of State influence or control varies in the several States, and varies in some cases 

 even in one and the same State for different districts. Of the State forests, without exception, it 

 can be .said that they are nearly in that form which, according to present knowledge and with 

 reasonable effort, is able to produce the greatest quantities of wood material in those dimensions 

 and of such kinds as best to satisfy the demands of the markets and at the same time render the 

 management as profitable as possible. This does not mean that they are not improving, for as 

 forestry knowledge increases and the methods are perfected the results are better. From what 

 follows it also appears that all State forests as a whole pay, and pay handsomely, when the low 

 intrinsic value of the land on which the forest stocks is considered. 



The control of the corporation forests is perfect only in a few of the smaller States, notably 

 Baden, Hesse, and Alsace-Lorraine; also iu some districts in Prussia where the corporation forests 

 are managed by the State authorities, the wishes of the villagers or corporate owners being, however, 

 always duly considered. In a large portion of Prussia, in Wurttemberg, and in Bavaria the corpora- 

 tion provides its own foresters; but these must be approved, as well as their plans of operations, by 

 the State authorities, so that here the management is under strict control of the State, and favora- 

 ble forest conditions at least partially assured. In Wurttemberg the corporation is given the choice 

 of supplying its own foresters or else joining their forests to those of the State. This has led to 

 State management of near 70 per cent of all corporation forests. Only the corporation forests of 

 Saxony and those of a small part of Prussia are without any supervision. Of the private forests, 

 those of Prussia and Saxony, involving 09 per cent of all private forests of the Empire, are entirely 

 free from interference. They can be managed as the owner sees fit, and there is no obstacle to their 

 devastation or entire clearing and conversion into field or pasture. The remainder of the private 

 forests are under more or less supervision. In most districts a State permit is required before 



