52 Germany. 



It must be understood that all these various attempts 

 at securing a conservative forest use were by no means 

 general but refer to circumscribed territory, and 

 much of it was only paper legislation without securing 

 actual practice. 



4. Development of Forest Policy. 



With the beginning of the 18th century we find, 

 besides these prescriptions against wasteful use, and 

 ordinances regulating the management of the pro- 

 perties of the princes, definite forest policies in some 

 sections, having in view forest preservation and im- 

 provement of forest conditions, and also means of 

 providing wood at moderate prices. 



Between the years 1515 and 1590, most of the 

 German States had already enacted ordinances 

 which had the force of general law exercising police 

 functions over private forest property, although in 

 Prussia this general legislation did not occur until 

 1720. The objects in view with this legislation were 

 entirely of a material kind: the conservation of re- 

 sources. Besides securing the rights of the Landesherr 

 to the chase, it was to secure a conservative use of 

 the princely as well as private forests, since devasta- 

 tion of the latter would require the former to be 

 drawn on extravagantly; it was to stave off a timber 

 famine, and in certain localities to assure particu- 

 larly the mining industry of their wood supplies. 

 There were, however, concessions made to the privi- 

 leged and influential classes of forest owners. 



By the end of the 18th century, this forest police, 

 owing to the uncontrolled harshness and the grafting 



