FACTORS OF FOREST PRODUCTION. 137 



fire danger is as great as in this country, the safety 

 of forest property under certain conditions (conifer- 

 ous forest, dry regions) is, to be sure, greatly im- 

 paired. That this danger does not need to exist is 

 amply shown by European experiences, and as soon 

 as forest properties are really managed and not only 

 exploited, they will have the same safety. 



In Prussia, with 7,000,000 acres, including large 

 pineries on sandy plains, in 25 years (1868- 1895) 

 only T400 acres, or 0.02 per cent, or i acre in 4500, 

 were burned over, and some years not more than 

 I in 8000, a small percentage for so large and 

 specially endangered properties. In the moun- 

 tainous forests of Bavaria in 5 years (i 877-1 881) 

 only I acre in 13,167 was lost by fire, less than 

 0.007 per cent of the 2,000,000 acres, the loss rep- 

 resenting 2 per cent of the gross yield. This state 

 lost heavily by insects and storms, but such loss is 

 usually of Httle consequence on large areas, only 

 disturbing the regular management, and readily 

 compensated. In 1868 to 1878 windfalls and dam- 

 age by beetles made it necessary to anticipate the 

 cutting of 400,000,000 cubic feet, and although 

 thereby the regular cut was increased by 2.1 per 

 cent, this increase remained without any influence 

 on normal prices. 



The permanency and continuity of the invest- 

 ment, the amenity and dignity of large landed 

 property, recommend it to large capitalists ; and 

 since the nature of the business necessitates the 



