66 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



8 SCHWARZENBERG IN SAXONY AND VICINITY 



The town of Schwarzenberg, like many of the towns in the more 

 hilly or semimountainous parts of Saxony on the northern edge of 

 the Erzgebirge, has shown a wonderful industrial development 

 within very recent years and a consequent increase in population. 

 The city of Lauter increased in population from 5000 to 15,000 in 

 fifteen years. 



The forest range about Lauter is under the charge of Oberforster 

 Dittmann. Another home industry, quite as interesting as those 

 seen in the Odenwald, is carried on to a large extent in this vicinity. 

 This is the making of split spruce baskets. The only tool used is a 

 strong-handled knife with which the villager splits the wood with 

 the medullary rays, for strong pieces, or with the annual rings, 

 for finer pieces. The smallness and uniformity with which spruce 

 can be split with a sharp knife is truly remarkable. The bottom 

 of the basket is first made out of thin strips and then the sides are 

 constructed. At the top are used strips specially prepared for 

 bending by drawing them between a wheel and a round billet of 

 wood, in one direction only. The baskets are very light and measure 

 about 4 feet by 4 feet by 3 feet deep, and sell for 18 to 25 cents 

 each. They eventually find their way for the most part to dealers 

 who ship in them straw hats, flowers, plants etc. The children of 

 the family are taught this trade from earliest youth, but it appears 

 that the main profit in this as in the beautiful lace made by the 

 women of this region goes to the dealer or middleman. The spruce 

 logs used in the home basket industry cost, delivered to the house, 

 about $38 a thousand feet board measure. Different families pro- 

 duce baskets of different sizes and quality, some of which sell as low 

 as 3 cents. 



The city of Lauter owns about 6000 acres of land upon which the 

 growing stock of timber has increased from 54,000 cords in 1847 

 on one district to over 100,000 cords today. The other district of 

 the city forests shows even a greater increase. 



On the hills above Lauter is the forest known as " Burkhardts- 

 wald," facing the factories at Aue and Lauter. The rapid develop- 

 ment of the industries at these places and especially the metal-ware 

 industry, has played sad havoc in these woodlands. The former 

 owners (city of Zwickau) took no protective measures but brought 

 suit against the state of Saxony, which is part owner of certain 

 dye and metal-ware works in the valley below and which was held 

 responsible in a large measure for the destruction of the forests 



