FORESTRY IX AUSTRIA-HUNGARY. 5 



According to statistics published by the manager of Prince Lichtenstein's 

 forests in 1855 the net profit from 203,744 joch of forest land amounted 

 to 729,789 florins per annum, or 3.58 florins per joch. In 1870 the net pro- 

 ceeds are said to have reached 900,000 florins. 



Other princes and nobles own immensely large tracts of woodlapd, but 

 none have favored the public with an estimate of their profits. 



The most considerable possessions of forest lands are the following : 



Prince J. A. Schwarzenberg. hectares... 110,718 



Count Schonbom do... 124,563 



Prince of Sachse-Coburg-Gotha do... 74,181 



Baron von Sina .joch... 105,000 



Prince Esterhaiy do... 154,000 



Conservatives favor these large possessions in the hands of a few noble 

 owners on the ground that the woods of Austria would have been cut down 

 and destroyed if they had been held by numerous small owners who had not 

 the capital to cultivate and preserve them. Possibly this argument has been 

 imported from England. 



I find on an examination of the meagre statistics to which I have had 

 access that the profits of forest land culture have materially increased during 

 the last fifty years. 



The Kataster (Real Estate Register) shows that in Lower and Upper Aus- 

 tria the net profit per joch was estimated at 1.41 florins in the year 1830, 

 while in the year 1880 this estimate rose to 2.62 florins per joch, an increase 

 of almost 100 per cent, and an incontrovertible proof that the forest laws of 

 Austria, which were passed in 185 2, have been of great practical benefit to 

 forest culture. ' 



This benefit is proven, not only by the increased net proceeds of a given 

 area of forest lands, but also by the growth and greater extent of the area itself. 



FOREST PLANTING AND CULTtmE METHODS BOUNTIES, IF ANY SCHOOLS, 



THEIR ORGANIZATION AND COURSE OF STUDY. 



The methods of forest planting and culture prevailing in Austria are quite 

 particularly prescribed in the forest laws herewith enclosed. There are no 

 bounties paid in the Empire for planting or replanting of forests. 



Schools. 



The schools for forest culture were transferred in 1878 from the Ministrj' 

 of Agriculture to the Ministry for Culture and Education, but all organic 

 order and appointments of professors are made by the Ministers of Culture 

 and Education with the concurrence of the Minister of Agriculture. 



While there are undoubtedly numerous provisions of the forest culture law 

 which cannot be applied or enforced in the United States, the system inaug- 

 urated in Austria to fit and educate young men for the dut}- of enforcing this 

 law seems beyond all question worthy of imitation to the fullest extent. 



