J 2 C. A. SCHENCK. 



centuries; and, where, nevertheless, the resources of the countr}^, 

 mental, physical, and natural, have been wonderfully preserved. 



It has been stated frequently that 25 per cent of the surface 

 of a country should be kept under forest, so as to safeguard the 

 many blessings derivable from the forest. If a climate is favor- 

 ably influenced by the forest, it is obvious that a country having 

 a poor climate should have a larger forest area, relatively speak- 

 ing, than another country enjoying a climate favorable to agri- 

 culture, to health and to wealth. Thus it is that a continental 

 climate, with its extremes of heat and cold, requires theoretically 

 the presence of a larger percentage of forest than does the 

 maritime climate. 



Unfortunately the maritime climate, which does not require 

 forest blessings, is more favorable to the production of forests 

 than is the continental climate. 



Naturally, the percentage of a country devoted to forestry is 

 affected also by the density of the population, by the configuration 

 of the country, and above all, by the possibility of agricultural 

 pursuits. 



Forestry is a business which suffers from many drawbacks 

 (see paras. IX and X). As a consequence the investor is usually 

 averse to embarking on it. In the various European countries, 

 paternal and strong-handed governments have enforced the con- 

 servation of the forests, sometimes at the expense, and against 

 the will of the owners, for many centuries. Many a state govern- 

 ment has held responsible for the conservation of the forests 

 within the state (for the benefit of the commonweal) those un- 

 fortunate individuals or corporations who have happened to 

 be the owners of the forests. 



In modern states, such forcible compulsion of the few, at their 

 own expense, for the benefit of the many, is apt to be impossible. 



In modern states, two courses are open to a far-sighted go- 

 vernment, taking its providential duties seriously, namely: 



Either to offer such definite inducements to the various owners 

 as will induce them to practise forestry of a desirable type; or 

 to buy up forest land and forests, on public account, and to 

 undertake forestry socialistically, on the people's account. 



Forestr}' will flourish best, without a doubt, in those states 

 in which both these systems are being adopted. 



