94 Germany. 



by the hope that in private ownership an improve- 

 ment in forest conditions would be more readily 

 realized. These ideas by themselves would, probably, 

 not have led to the adoption of a policy of sale if it had 

 not been for the need for cash which, as a result of 

 the French wars, was felt everywhere during the first 

 years of the decade. The sale of this property seemed 

 to provide a ready means for States to secure funds. 



In Prussia, after the collapse of 1806, this measure 

 was widely discussed, and eventually, in 1810 to 

 1813, repeatedly instructions for the sale of state 

 forest property were issued. There were to be ex- 

 cluded from such sales only large complexes of forest, 

 those on the sea coast, sand dunes and river fronts, 

 where the protection of the forest cover was needed, 

 and those which it was desirable to maintain for the 

 use of important industrial establishments. Only 

 the accession of Hartig (1811), as chief of the forest 

 administration which was a branch of the Treasury 

 department, prevented the execution of this dis- 

 memberment. It was due to him that the difference 

 in character between farm and forest property began 

 to be recognized,. Although, after 1820, .sales of 

 forest property took place, they were never a fiscal 

 measure, but were made either for the purpose of 

 rounding off existing state forest property or paying off 

 servitudes, or else in order to turn over agricultural 

 soil to farm use., At present everywhere in Germany 

 state properties are on the increase. 



The property conditions of the communal forests 

 naturally changed also with the political changes of 

 the 19th century, when existing communities were 



