100 AGRICULTURE OX THE RHINE. 



thing like a military rule, at the head of which stands the 

 grand huntsman (Oberjagermeister), usually a nobleman 

 of high connexions, but who has by no means a sinecure 

 in any part of Germany. The whole country is divided 

 into districts that usually correspond with the civil and 

 judicial divisions, and according to the extent of forest 

 land in each district is the number of forestei-s appointed 

 to inspect and watch over the district large or small. 

 Whatever be the size of the woods, every tree is known, 

 and destined either to long or short growth, according to 

 its promise of sturdy vitality, or its liability to decay. 

 Although the more responsible duties of the forester now- 

 a-days relate to the number and condition of the trees in 

 his woods, yet the sporting department is kept up with 

 the old routine, although it may have lost some of its 

 chivalrous character. The wild boar is now seldom met 

 with in German forests, excepting where walled enclosures 

 debar his predatory incursions into the neighbouring fields. 

 The wolf is occasionally seen in the Ardennes, where his 

 character is said to be unusually savage. But the red- 

 deer and the roebuck are sufficiently numerous not only 

 to afford good sport, but to furnish an item to the forest 

 budget of most districts. The birds are also in great 

 variety, from the cock of the woods down to a small 

 throstle that comes in vast flocks from the north, in the 

 autumn, and is prized as a great delicacy : pheasants 

 are only found in strict preserves ; the vermin that abounds 

 is their greatest enemy : partridges and hares are tole- 

 rably abundant in the open country. 



It is undeniably a curious fact, that while the propor- 

 tion of forest to arable land in all Prussia is that of one 

 half (arable, 32,800,000 morg. ; forest,15,798,000 morg.), 



