Literature on Forest Policy. 143 



the systematic collecting of observed data was at- 

 tempted. Most of the problems are still unsolved. 



With the aspects of political economy in reference 

 to forest policy the foresters had occupied themselves 

 but little, leaving the shaping of public opinion to 

 the Cameralists, whose influence lasted long into the 

 century. These produced a good deal of literature in 

 the early years of the century when the question of 

 retaining or selling state forests was under discussion, 

 and, under the influence of the teachings of Adam 

 Smith, their opinion was mostly favorably to sale. 

 Only gradually was the propriety of state forests 

 recognized by them, till finally the leading economists, 

 Rau, Roscher and Wagner, took a decided stand in 

 favor of this view. 



The foresters naturally were for retention of the 

 existing State properties, but one-sided mercantilistic 

 views regarding their administration persisted with 

 them till modern times. 



Wedekind, as early as 1821, advocated the theory 

 which is now becoming a practice, that the state should 

 not only retain, but increase its present forest property 

 by purchase of all absolute forest soil for the purpose 

 of reforestation. The erratic and radical Pfeil alone 

 was found with the Cameralists on the opposite side 

 in 1816, but, by 1834, he had entirely gone over to 

 the side of the advocates of state forest, declaring 

 anyone who opposed them fit for the lunatic asylum. 



Division of opinions existed also regarding the super- 

 vision by the state of private and communal forests. 

 The political economists were inclined to reduce, the 



