50 Germany. 



In Berlin^ in 1766, a monopoly of the fuel wood market 

 was rented to a corporation, excluding all others except 

 by permission of the company. This was in 1785 sup- 

 planted by government administration. 



Another such monopoly was created in the "Nutzholz- 

 handelsgesellschaff^ (Workwood sales agency) for the 

 export trade of building materials from Kurmark and 

 Magdeburg, which had prior right of purchase to all 

 timber cut, the idea being to provide cheap material 

 for the industries. This, too, came into the hands of 

 the State in 1771. 



In Prussia, to prevent overcharges, the Jews were ex- 

 cluded from the wood trade in 1761. 



The exercise of the Forsthoheit (princely supervis- 

 ion), originating in the ban forests, favored by the mer- 

 cantilistic and absolutist ideas of the 17th and 18th cen- 

 turies, gradually grew until the end of the 18th century 

 to such an extent that the forest owners themselves were 

 not allowed to cut a tree without sanction of some forest 

 oflBcial, and could not sell any wood without permission, 

 even down to hop-poles, although the large landed prop- 

 erty owners vigorously resisted this assumption of super- 

 visory powers. Much discussion and argument regard- 

 ing the origin of this right to supervision was carried on 

 by the jurists upon the basis of Roman law doctrine, and 

 it was proved by them to be of ancient date. The degree, 

 however, to which this supervision was developed varied 

 considerably in the different parts of the empire, accord- 

 ing to different economic conditions. The interference 

 and protection of forests appeared more necessary, where 

 advanced civilization and denser population created 

 greater need for it. We find therefore that the restric- 

 tive policy was much more developed in the Southern 



