2 PROTECTION OF WOODLANDS. 



preventive and remedial measures to be adopted, necessitates some 

 knowledge of various different branches of the cognate sciences of 

 Forestry. Thus Botany enlightens us concerning the forest weeds 

 and fungi; Zoology treats of the injurious forest insects and 

 their life-history; Sylviculture indicates to us the protective 

 measures against frost and heat, snow accumulations, and forest 

 weeds ; Management of Forests points out how the violence of 

 storms can best be counteracted by careful location and succession 

 of the annual falls, and how advantageous is the proper marking 

 of all fixed boundary points ; Utilisation of Forest Produce teaches 

 us in what way timber crops and minor produce can best be 

 harvested with least interference with the natural growth, 

 development, and reproduction of the forest. 



In consequence of this overlapping with other branches, it has 

 sometimes been objected to accord to the Protection of Woods the 

 rank of a separate branch of Forestry ; but, on the one hand, it 

 certainly seems desirable to have a complete and comprehensive 

 statement of all that is necessary for the protection of the forests, 

 and, on the other hand, although zoology takes cognisance of all 

 animals that are injurious to forest growth, yet it does not concern 

 itself with the preventive and remedial measures which are purely 

 in the domain of Forestry, whilst at the same time many other 

 matters, such as those relative to drainage, to the binding of sand- 

 drifts, to protection of boundaries, and to forest fires, find no suit- 

 able place in any other branch. Under these circumstances it 

 can hardly be denied that Protection of Woodlands has a right to 

 be considered one of the four main branches of Forest Science. 



2. Protection of Woodlands, and Forest Laws. 



As above indicated, Protection of Woodlands teaches us concern- 

 ing the dangers which threaten forest crops, and the best means of 

 obviating them so far as lies in the power of the proprietor or the 

 forester. These means are not, however, always sufficient, and 

 the individual proprietors would often be powerless to operate 

 against such dangers unless supported by the State in the interest 

 of public safety and the common weal : thus, in view of the im- 

 portance and the value of woodlands for the general well-being, 

 negligent proprietors are even compelled to adopt such reasonable 

 protective measures as are permissible within the limitations of 



