850 



AMERICAN FORESTRY 



ARALCARIA IMIiRICALA 



A famous specimen near Walzenliausen, canton of Appenzell. 

 2,273 feet. 



Altitude, 



Finally, in the southern part of the canton of Ticino, 

 in Italian Switzerland, the chestnut grows in profusion. 



While in early days the forester's principal task was 

 to dispose of the timber, to be a fairly good shot and to 

 keep general order on his domain, the public has, since 

 the middle of the last century, begun to wake up and 

 with the realization of the immense value of the forests 

 came a general demand for a more thorough and scien- 

 tific instruction of the foresters. 



A forestry school exists in Switzerland since 1855. 

 making part of the Federal Polytechnic at Zurich. From 

 1855-72 the duration of the course was two years, from 

 1872-82 it was two and one-half years, from 1882-1909 



it was raised to three years, and since October, 1909, it 

 has been prolonged to three and one-half years. This 

 theoretical course has yet to be completed by an obliga- 

 tory practical course of one and one-half years. The 

 duration of the entire course in the science of forestry 

 consequently amounts to five years. 



The timber production of the Swiss forests has 

 reached the comparatively high figure of 40,000,000 

 francs a year. The average annual export amounts to 

 about 3,000,000 francs, but there is still an annual im- 

 portation of wood for about 30,000,000 francs. This 

 somewhat surprisingly high import is explained by a 

 continually increased demand for wood by the paper 

 industry, also by a much developed building activity. 



The statistics available concerning the average increase 

 of the Swiss forest cultivation do not yet suffice by far 

 for an approximate valuation of the respective financial 

 returns. However, in all those cases, where it has been 

 possible to investigate the question, the proposition has 

 proved itself a paying one. 



Thus it is shown, for instance, that the municipal for- 

 ests of Aargau produce an average gross profit of $14 

 per acre, those of Zurich, Winterthur and Morat, $12 

 per acre, and the most recent statistics in the case of 

 Winterthur indicate a revenue of $14.90 per acre. 

 Admitting that these are somewhat exceptional in- 

 stances, we nevertheless find that the general results of 

 the cantonal forests of Aargau and Zurich reach a gross 

 profit of $8 per acre, while the richest state forests in 

 Germany scarcely ever surpass a revenue of $5.60 per 

 acre. The returns in the Jura and the Alps, where the 

 soil is naturally inferior, amount to $3.25 to $4.80 per 

 acre. 



This steady and ever-increasing revenue yielded by 

 the forests helps to reduce taxation in Switzerland to a 

 minimum. 



The climatic and hygienic value of forests must also 

 be taken into consideration. No place becomes oppres- 

 sive from the summer's heat, or unpleasant through the 

 winter's cold, if it is situated in a forest region. It is an 

 established fact that all the renowned Swiss health re- 

 sorts are in closest vicinity to woods and forests whose 

 purifying presence and wholesome fragrance act like a 

 tonic on the human system. 



Reforestation and forest planting require much pa- 

 tience at first, as it takes so long for a crop to mature, 

 but the results obtained in Switzerland will undoubtedly 

 induce other countries in time to adopt a similar system, 

 which makes the best possible use of land not suitable 

 for agriculture and which at the same time has all the 

 climatic and hygienic advantages pointed out above, 

 not to mention the natural charm, the scenic value and 

 the soothing eflfect of a stretch of dark-green, silent 

 forest. 



