26 Germany. 



ment begins to be sporadically recognized; the third, 

 to the end of the 18th century, during which the 

 foundation for the development of all branches of 

 forestry is laid; the fourth, the modern period, accom- 

 plishing the complete establishment of forestry 

 methods in all parts of Germany. For the later 

 historian it would be proper to recognize a fifth 

 period from about 1863, when, by the establishment 

 of experiment stations, a breaking away from the 

 merely empiric basis to a more scientific foundation 

 of forestry practice was begun. 



For our purposes we shall be satisfied with a division 

 into three periods, namely: first, to the end of the 

 middle ages, when, with the discoveries of America 

 and other new countries, an enlargement of the world's 

 horizon gave rise to a change of economic conditions; 

 second, to the end of the eighteenth century, when 

 change of political and economic thought altered the 

 relation of peoples and countries; third, the modern 

 period, which exhibits the practical fruition of these 

 changes. 



I. From Earliest Times to End of Middle Ages. 



Many of the present conditions, especially those 

 of ownership, as well as the progress in the develop- 

 ment both of forest policy and of forest management, 

 can be understood only with some knowledge of the 

 early history of the settlement of the country.* 



As is well known, Aryan tribes from central Asia 



* FELIX DAHN, Urgeschichte der germanischeyi und romanischen Volker, 

 1831. 



