73 



SYSTEM OF MANAGEMENT : ITS ORIGIN. 



The management of the forest estates here described is entrusted to commit- 

 tees, elected by the shareholders for a period of six years. Each committee 

 consists of a chairman and one or two members. The current duties are conducted 

 by the chairman alone, but certain matters, such as the appointment of the guard 

 who is intrusted with the protection of the estate, are by law and custon 

 assigned to the full committee. 



In order to maintain the coppice well stocked, cultural operations are regu- 

 larly carried on in most of these estates. The old established practice is to dibble 

 in acorns in lines about 2 m. apart, either with the seed corn in autumn, or in 

 spring with the young crop, or in the second autumn into the stubble. Where 

 sowings have been made the broom is cleared away when it threatens to choke 

 the young plants. Cattle are excluded until the plants are sufficiently advanced 

 to be beyond damage. Where it is not possible to keep the area closed so long, 

 strong saplings 1| to 2 m. high are are planted about 3 m. apart, and in order to 

 provide a sufficiency of such plants suitable nurseries are established for each 

 estate. The chief civil officer of the circle (Landrath), together with six share- 

 holders who are elected for a period of six years by the whole body of hauberg 

 associates, form a board of control for the management of these estates throughout 

 the circle (Schotfenrath). This board appoints one or several forest officers, who 

 have the supervision of the management of these estates as far as regards profess- 

 ional matters. The board also assigns the area to be subject to their inspection, 

 and is empowered by law to decide all matters relating to these estates that may 

 be referred to them. At present there is one forest officer (Hauberg Sachver- 

 standiger) for the entire circle. His chief duty is to watch over the due observ- 

 ance of the treatment laid down by law, and generally by his advice and personal 

 influence to promote the good management of these estates. All these matters 

 are governed by a special law ba?ed upon old ordinances and customs existing in 

 regard to these estates. The law which is in force at the present time was 

 passed by both houses of the Prussian Parliament in 1879. 



The system under which these forests are managed is very old. The oldest 

 document preserved regarding it is of 1447, and a detailed account exists of 

 1553, from which it appears that in its main features the system then was the 

 same as at present. The peculiar development of the system must be attributed 

 to two circumstances, the requirements of the mining and iron-making industry, 

 and the insufficiency of arable land in the district. 



Formerly, all the iron works in this district were worked with charcoal, 



which the forests furnished, and for this purpose coppice was the simplest and 



most convenient mode of treatment. The poles, whether oak, birch, or other 



kinds, could readily be utilized for charcoal. The mines and the iron- works in 



this part of the country in former times were always owned by associations 



(genossenschaften) and in some cases these associations may have also owned the 



forest lands adjoining the works. In any case, the organization of the " Hauberg 



genossenschaften" has developed in a manner similar to that of the mining 



-associations. At the same time, the population, though never dense, as compared 



with the plain country, nevertheless did not produce corn enough for their 



maintenance, nor was there sufficient litter for their cattle. In this manner the 



neieesity arose to utilize the forest for the temporary cultivation of corn after 



the coppice had been cut over. These temporary fields furnished a large portion 



of the corn and straw which they required. In 1862 the total area of the circle, 



64,653 hectares (159,800 acres) with a population of 48,479, consisted of 74 per 



