©anabtan iFor^str^ Journal. 



Vol. I. July, 1905. No. 3 



THE ART OF FORESTRY. 



A. Harold Vnwin, D. Oec, Forester. 

 Benin City, West Africa. 



III. FOREST EXPLOITATION. 



Giving the above its more appropriate name of forest utiliza- 

 tion, one is led to the main object in Forestry i.e. of using all the 

 woody growth in a forest. 



In olden times in Europe just those trees which had any 

 value were cut down and removed, leaving broken, decayed, dis- 

 eased or at that time useless species of trees. 



One of the best examples of this was the cutting, until re- 

 cently (twenty years ago) of the largest spruce trees in the Ba- 

 varian Forest. Now this has consisted from time immemorial 

 of silver fir (similar to balsam), spruce and beech; on the whole 

 the beech and spruce predominating. Another well known fact 

 is that fir wood is quite inferior to spruce for flooring or any 

 purpc/se. 



The result of this early mcthcxl has bcicn to reduce the num- 

 ber of spruce and, although the climatic conditions of growtli are 

 most favourable to its growth, it is suppressed by not being able 

 to stand so much shade as either becnrh cr fir. 



With great labour and expense the old and' rotten firs and 

 beeches are gradually being got rid of and the spruce re-intro- 

 duoed. 



