THE THEORY AND PRACTICE OF WORKING PLANS 203 



The topography is rolling, becoming mountainous in the 

 southern portion of the Vosges. The species correspond closely 

 to the topography: coppice hardwoods and Scotch pine in the 

 more level portions; fir and beech and some spruce in the 

 mountains, with oak on the foothills. 



The road development and the timber markets of these 

 provinces are rapidly approaching the same degree of perfection 

 as already exists in the neighboring state of Baden. 



When Germany gained control of these provinces in 187 1 it 

 became necessary at once to have provisional working plans for 

 each administrative unit. These were made by the adminis- 

 trative officer in charge of the forest, passed upon by the inspect- 

 ing (district) officer, and finally approved by the minister. 

 The essentials of these provisional plans are the division of 

 area, plan for roads and trails, determination of the method 

 of silvicultural management, fixation of the rotation, etc. 



As soon as possible following thereupon, regular working 

 plans were constructed, based on these provisional plans. 

 Revised plans are also prescribed at the expiration of each 

 twenty-year period, after substantial changes in area or growing 

 stock, and in cases of transition as from high forest to coppice 

 and \dce versa. 



The regulations of 19 10 lay stress on the following features 

 of forest organization.* 



Division of Area. — The segregation of compartments is done 

 in conjunction with the laying out of the logging and wagon 

 roads and the trails. The area in coniferous stands is not to 

 exceed 24.70 to 37.05 acres, in hardwood stands from 37.05 to 

 49.40 acres. For coppice and coppice with standards the forest 

 is divided into annual cutting areas; for there the regulation is 

 by area alone. In communal forests one-quarter of the area 

 is set aside as reserve, dating from the ordinances of Colbert 

 in 1669, which provide that in forests owned by the church, 

 or alienated in mortmain, or owned by communities or by 



* " \'orschriften fiir die Aufstellung und Revision der Forstbetriebseinricht- 

 imgswerke," Strassburg, 1910. 



