OOS FOKEST LITTEK. 



yield the ^'round to less exacting trees. In many places, the 

 spruce has rcpliued hroad-leaved species, and a still larger area 

 is now monopolised by the Scotch pine. 



[As regai-ds the spruce, which being shallow-rooted requires a 

 moist soil, the reason for its extension is the iucrcasing demand 

 ftn- timber instead of firewood wliich is the chief i)roduct of beech- 

 forests.— Tr.] 



If the condition of the Scotch pine-woods whic-h have replaced 

 hroad-leaved forest is further considered, it will be noted how 

 even this non-exacting tree has suffered in vigour from continuous 

 removal of litter. 



Considering that the Scotch pine is the last member in our 

 list of forest trees, once a Scotch pine-wood has been ruined by 

 the removal of litter, there is an end of all forest vegetation. 

 Thousands of acres of German forests are already at this final 

 stage, where the Scotch pine, when 30 or 40 years old or 

 even younger, either dies, or entirely ceases to grow ; where 

 its scanty crop of needles, its stunted growth, pigmy size and 

 its bark coated with lichens almost conceal the fact that it is 

 a tree. Unfortunately there are few German countries whore 

 such a picture is not to be found ; it is hardly worth 

 mentioning the names of forests in Brandenburg, in the pastured 

 forests to the south-west of the Teutoberger forest, in the plateau 

 of the Upper Palatinate, between Amberg and Regensburg, in 

 the Niirnberg* State forest, on the whole mountain- range of the 

 Haardtgebirge in the Rhine-valley, the Eifel and many other 

 districts, which have thus earned a deplorable notoriety. 



ii. According to special circumstances. 



The above considerations show that in general the removal 

 of litter not only weakens forest growth but may absolutely 

 destroy it. Thesc'eftects follow in very various degrees according 

 to locality, species and age of tree, &c., and earlier or later, 

 according to differences in these factors which must now be 

 shortly discussed. 



* [The degraded condition of the Scotch pine near the city of Niinilierg is 

 most pitiable, and it would be a national gain for Bavaria if the worst parts of 

 this forest were cleared and converted into arable land, as heavy manuring 

 would again fertilize the soil. — Tk.] 



