FORESTRY IN QERMANY. 39 



Nether Rhenish "Schiefer-Gebirge," while in the Provinces of East and 

 West Prussia, Posen, Pomerania and Brandenberg, forests stand on grounds 

 alternately level or hilly. Their site in Silesia and Saxony ha^, in nearly 

 equal parts, either a plain or hilly or mountainous appearance. In Westpha- 

 lia and in the Rhine province the mountainous character predominates. The 

 same is the case in the provinces of Hesse-Nassau and in the smaller part of 

 the Province of Hanover, while in the northern part of the latter thfey grpw 

 on level ground. 



The limit of the growth of trees is from i,o6o to 1,070 meters above the 

 level of the sea in the Hartz, and up to i , 1 90 meters in Silesia. Beyond 

 these limits begins the region of the so-called knichok (undergrowth). 



According to an approximate estimate it may be presumed that about 

 4,043,800 hectares of forest occupy level ground; 2,089,500 hectares of 

 forest occupy hilly ground; and 1,991,200 hectares of forest occupy moun- 

 tains. 



According to situation forest culture is affected by a variety of conditions 

 of climate and soil, necessitating a variation of system of cultivating woods 

 and permitting the growth of nearly every species of German trees, which, 

 in Prussian forests, are principally cultivated, viz : 



1. Firs (abies excelsa; abies pectinatd). 



2. Pines (^pinus sylvestris, strobus, austriaca and montand). 



3. Oaks {guercus pedunculata and sessiliftord). 



4. Beech {/agus silvaticd). 



5. Birches {carpunis betulus; betula verrucosa). 



6. Alders (a/nus ineana; alnus glutinosd). 



7. Larch (Juris Europad). 



PRIVILEGES OF THE PEOPLE. 



Poor people living in the vicinity of forests are permitted, provided rights 

 of other beneficiaries are not interferred with, to gather and carry off dead 

 branches of wood, either without charge or by paying a small sum of money. 



Provincial authorities are also empowered to sell to the poorer classes 

 limited quantities of inferior wood during the winter at greatly reduced prices, 

 say 25 per cent, less than such wood could be bought for in the market. 



The right of grazing cattle, in exceptional cases also sheep, is permitted 

 to the people in the neighborhood. A small charge is made, but such per- 

 mission is subject to the judgment of the forestal authorities, who have to 

 decide whether the grant of such right is not prejudicial to the growth of the 

 trees. 



Hogs are sometimes allowed to enter forests as a means of destroying in- 

 sects. 



Tracts within the limits of forests which can be used as meadows are 

 rented, but much care is taken to prevent misuse. 



Leaf gathering for litter is only permitted to smaller people in extreme 

 cases of need, and to other people only exceptionally, in dry seasons and 



