everybody would spend more time in the open, and especially 

 in the woods, the white plague, tuberculosis, would soon van- 

 ish. But, how is the shop girl, whose meager wage permits 

 her to spend but little each day for enjoyment, and whose 

 time is so occupied with work that she cannot go far from 

 home, if she would, to get this kind of refreshment, going to 

 be benefited by the forests? The forest must be brought to 

 her, and we will show presently how this can be done. 



The Germans have learned the advantage of this kind of 

 recreation, and it is not uncommon to se women and girls 

 with rucksacks and walking staffs trudging through the beau- 

 tiful town and state forests so plentiful in Germany. Nearly 

 every town in the wooded sections of Germany has its own 

 town forests, and those that do not own a forest, are usually 

 near to one where- the people have the use of it for recreation. 

 J eople will travel by train for considerable distances in order 

 have a tramp in the woods for half a day. 



This love for the open may be an inherited tendency with 



te Germans, but they have been taught from childhood to 

 >ve the forests. In places near to forests the school children 

 ire given a half holiday on Wednesday and Saturday after- 

 loons, and the teachers take them into the forests for play, 

 "hey grow up with a love for their forests. 



Germany is not the only European country where the towns 

 and cities own their forests, but everywhere they are used for 

 recreational purposes. The forests are usually so near that 

 one can go from the center of the city or town into the for- 

 est by street car for the small sum of two and four-tenths 

 cents. Hundreds of people can be seen on Sundays and holi- 

 days walking, riding or driving through these forests. Good 

 roads and paths prevail, even into the least accessible parts. 



These roads, paths, and bridges also, are built and main- 

 tained from the profits of the forests. Seats, pergolas and 

 shelters are scattered throughout and even monuments are 

 built in them. They are really outlying wild parks, and for 

 the purposes of recreation and rest are more attractive than 

 the well-kept ornamental city parks. 



There are little refreshment houses in every forest. Some 

 of the larger town forests have municipal hotels situated in 



