88 ANNUAL REPORT OF 



PRUSSIA. 



STATE FORESTS, 



The extent of the state forests of Prussia is 6,955,227 

 acres. Included in this, however, are 715,637 acres not 

 designed for tree culture. In addition, the extent of 

 forests belonging to municipalities is 2,563,812 acres; be- 

 longing to churches, 207,752 acres; belonging to corpora- 

 tions, 555,900 acres; private forests, 10,828,730 acres; 

 making an aggregate extent of 21,111,421 acres in the 

 whole kingdom. 



The prevailing kinds of trees in the state forests are 

 Scotch pine, larch, beech, red pine, fir and oak. The 

 value of the land varies so much, rising from a small 

 amount to $700 per acre, that it is impossible to give an 

 average estimated value. The annual aggregate expense 

 of administration (state forests) is as follows: The office 

 expenses and maintenance, including expense for educa- 

 tion in forestry, etc., averaged in the years 1893 to 1897, 

 per annum, $8,500,000. The annual aggregate revenue 

 in the years 1893 to 1897 amounted to $17,200,000, being 

 at the net rate of $1.50 per acre of actual forest. The 

 number of acres sown or planted with forest annually dur- 

 ing the years 1893 to 1895 was 44,830. 



The foresting of the beech is mostly effected from 

 standing trees, though artificial sowing and planting are 

 also done. The oak is either reforested by seed from 

 standing trees, or artificially through sowing or by plant- 

 ing. The Scotch pine is first cut clean and reforested by 

 sowing or planting, and the red pine the same. Sowing 

 from standing trees is not common. In regard to the 

 continuity of forests products, the forestry department 

 endeavors to obtain the highest possible continuous net 

 income. The usual method of cutting is in blocks clean. 



Under the head of compulsory tree planting the follow- 

 ing laws are referred to: The Forest Protection Law of 



