784 



AMERICAN FORESTRY 



WHERE WAR'S DAMAGE WILL BE SLIGHT. 



A SERIES OF DAMS ON A MOUNTAIN IN NORTHWESTERN FRANCE, FOR CHECKING EROSION. THE MOUNTAIN SIDES 



WERE REFORESTED WHEN THE DAMS WERE CONSTRUCTED. THERE HAS BEEN MUCH FIGHTING ON 



SUCH TERRITORY AS THIS WITHOUT MUCH DAMAGE TO THE FORESTS. 



number of students, chosen from gradu- 

 ates of the Institut Agronomique, are 

 admitted and on completion of the 

 course are employed by the Govern- 

 ment. 



West of Nancy lie the two state 

 forests of Champenoux and Haye. The 

 former with an area of 3,509 acres, is 

 situated on the plain between the rivers 

 Meurthe and Seille; while the latter, 

 comprising nearly 16,000 acres and 

 forming part of a larger wooded area 

 of 27,210 acres, occupies the plateau 

 between the Meurthe and the Moselle. 

 East of Nancy are the forests of Bazange 

 and Parroy where battles were fought 

 during the last week of October. In 

 the forests to the west the principal 

 species are oak, beech, and hornbeam 

 in all stages of conversion from coppice 

 to seedling stands. An interesting 

 feature of the forest of Champenoux is 

 the arboretum of 25 acres established 

 in 1900. Here the various trees planted 

 are grouped both by species and by the 

 countries of their origin. Of the 

 American species experimented with, 



the white ash, yellow poplar, and west- 

 ern red cedar are said to be particularly 

 thrifty. The soil in the forest of Haye 

 is remarkable for its tendency to dry 

 out, and must be kept constantly 

 covered by a crop with dense foliage 

 in order to maintain its fertility. Parts 

 of both forests are under the manage- 

 ment of the forest school at Nancy, 

 which uses them for experimental pur- 

 poses. 



The forests in the Vosges Mountains, 

 to the southeast of Nancy, where there 

 have been numerous engagements, are 

 of a very different character from those 

 already described. The state forest of 

 Celle, for example, which includes an 

 area of 2,925 acres near the town of 

 St. Die, not far from the border of 

 Alsace, comprises 90 per cent of silver 

 fir and only 10 per cent of beech with 

 a few scattering Norway spruce and 

 Scotch pine. The area has an elevation 

 of from 1,300 to 2,600 feet, and in 

 places the mountain slopes are so steep 

 as to make it impossible to use horses 

 for logging. The forest has some fine 



