63 



spruce has often germinated, and the young plant has sent its roots over the 

 decaying stump into the ground. The stump has perished, and the tree stands 

 now, as it were, upon stilts in the air supported by its roots. 



Block 3 (compartments 1-4.) Kutberauer Halde, 90 hect., a small detached 

 block, occupying the lower slopes of the Alb Valley, 2| km. below St. Blasien, at 

 AH elevation' of 700 to 840 m. under the village of Hochenschwand. Spruce, 

 silver fir. and beech, with a little oak. 



Block 4 (compartments 1-3.) Schwarzathal, 616 hect., occupying the 

 slopes on the right side of the Schwarza Valley, below the village of Hochen- 

 schwand. Spruce, silver fir and beech, with a little oak in the lowest part. More 

 than half of this area has been acquired within the last fifteen years, chiefly by 

 the purchase of private forests and pastures which now are planted up with piiie ; 

 spruce and larch. 



Blocks 5 and 6 (compartments 1-6), 179 hect., are two small detached blocks, 

 Blasiwald and Dresselbach, lately purchased. 



The total area as here stated, 4,617 hect. for Wolfsboden, and 3,14 1 hect. for 

 St. Blasieu refers, it must be understood, to 1887, and comprises soina pieces 

 included within forest limits since 1885. 



UTILIZATION OF FOREST PRODUCE. 



With so large a forest area, the question naturally arises whether there is a 

 sufficient demand for all the timber and wood annually produced. For charcoal 

 there was formerly a very large local demand for the numerous iron and glass 

 works which existed upon these hills. The names of places such as Althutte, 

 Altglashutte, recall the former existence of this industry, which is now nearly 

 xtinct. The last considerable iron works belonged to the State, and these were 

 closed in 1863; some glass works existed until 1877. The completion of works 

 elsewhere using mineral coal, and favorably situated near railways and rivers, 

 "was too powerful, and the struggle of these small establishments, situated far 

 from rivers and railways in out of the way and difficult mountainous districts, 

 against such powerful opposition was hopeless, though the abundant water 

 power available and the cheap and plentiful supply of charcoal gave them important 

 advantages. Quite lately, I am informed, a prospect has arisen of selling large 

 quantities of small wood for making charcoal which is wanted by large iron 

 works in Switzerland. On the other hand, the construction of roads has greatly 

 facilitated the export of forest produce. The road up the Wehra Valley to Todt- 

 mooswas built in 1848-49, and that from St. Blasien down the Alb Valley was 

 completed in 1861, and it is now proposed to construct a road from the Schluchsee 

 along the valley of the Schwarza to the Rhine, which will greatly facilitate the 

 export of timber from the forests in the basin of the Schluchsee and in the 

 Aha Valley. St. Blasien and the the country around has long been connected 

 with the Rhine Valley by an old carriage road, but it ascended the plateau with 

 -a rise of nearly 300 metres and then continued with numerous descents and 

 ascents to Walshut. For the export of timber, roads along the valleys with an 

 even and gentle gradient are indispensable. The construction of convenient 

 main roads has been supplemented by a system of well designed cart roads 

 throughout the forest, and thus it has become possible as already mentioned, to 

 sell the thinnings from some of the forest as hop-poles. The construction of 

 these forest roads commenced in 1860 and every year new lines are added in 

 order to complete the system laid down in the programme. 



