242 Philosophy of Botany. 



easily and safely garnered ; plenty spreading all around, even 

 the animal world came to the aid of their nobler brother ; the 

 l^roud Ajiis had bent his nervy neck under the yoke, sheep 

 flocked around him, and camel and elephant lifted him on their 

 backs. 



Thus did the Southland empires flourish and decay, while 

 tlie Northland barbarian made little headway in clearing 

 openings, and prepared with the meanest toojs the virgin soil 

 for the production of a little oat and rye and flax, until the 

 Scandinavian had discovered the art of making iron from the 

 rich and easily reducible ores buried in his mountains. 

 S-winging the iron ax, no tree could stand before him; the 

 hammer opened the treasure vaults of the mountains, the 

 plowshare laid out broader fields, and with the sword in his 

 fist he overwhelmed the Roman intruders in the Herzynian 

 forest. 



\\ ith the spread of civilization the demand for wood grew 

 from year to year, and after the lapse of centuries fields and 

 meadows overreached in expanse the woods, for whose pres- 

 ervation little thought was given. They were no longer com- 

 mon property, but were divided out amongst communities, 

 or held as private property by princes and noblemen. They 

 were principally valued as resorts and retreats of all kinds of 

 game, the chase being the principal sport and amusement of 

 the nobility. 



The continued despoliation of the woods wrought at last in 

 the mountainous as well as seashore regions of Central Europe 

 severe injury by denudatioTi of the mountain slopes, and con- 

 sequent inundations, such that enlightened individuals, and 

 the governments themselves, realized the necessity of pro- 

 tective legislation enactments against unlimited felling of 

 trees. 



Restorative efforts on scientific plans, with a view of per- 

 manence in supervision have been carried on in France, Ger- 

 many ,and Italy at enormous expense and with great success 

 for more than one hundred years. 



History is now repeating its lessons in the vast realm of 

 the Union, where, by the unparalleled development of the 

 country, the demand for timber has grown out of all propor- 



