FORESTRY IN GERMANY. 4 1 



' THE DUTY OF A FORESTER 



Consists in protecting his district against unlawful use, thefts, and injuries; 

 in watching that hunting and police laws are properly observed ; in carrying 

 out the directions of the chief forester regarding the cutting or stocking of 

 the woods, and, upon written permit presented to him, to deliver forest 

 products to purchasers. All breaches of the hunting or forest laws, whfether 

 they happen in his own or any other district, must be reported at once to the 

 chief forester. It is also his duty to instruct and superintend laborers em- 

 ployed in the forest, and to attend to the measurement and numbering of all 

 wood cut in the forest. He must keep separate books, containing a mem- 

 orandum of all wood cut in the forest (" Number Book ") ; a laborers' account 

 ("Labor Book"); a memorandum of the yield from hunting ("Shooting 

 Book"); and also a book stating any breach or offense against the hunting 

 and police laws. The preparation of a list of wages is likewise entrusted to 

 him. 



Smaller and isolated tracts of forests are placed under the supervision of 

 special guards ( Waldwaerter). * 



The number of foresters employed in Prussia reaches at present 3,390; 

 average salary, 1,100 marks; 349 guards; average salary, 360 to 660 marks 

 per annum. 



All forestal officers have, in addition to their salaries, free fuel and free 

 quarters, or compensation for rental. 



The average extent of a so-called ''Schutz Bezirk" (district to be pro- 

 tected), of which there are about 3,708 in number, as area designated for 

 wood-growing, is 640 hectares, varying from 171 up to 1,064 hectares. 



The foresters are selected from the number of applicants entitled to a 

 state position after several years' service in the military corps' of chasseurs 

 (riflemen). 



For a better understanding of Prussia's forest organization, it may be 

 stated that every Prussian province is divided into two or three so-called 

 "governments" (regierungen), with its seat at some chief place. In connec- 

 tion with such "governments" there is a so-called oberforstmeister {cka^i- 

 master forester), 33 in number, with an average salary of from 4,200 to 6,000 

 marks, as the head of forest affairs for that "government." Under him, 

 again, are some master-foresters {Jorstmeister), 89 in number, with a salary 

 of from 3,600 to 6,000 marks, having supervisory power over some of the 

 chief forester's districts {pberfoerstereien). 



The functions of both the chief-master forester and master forester are, on 

 the whole, only of a supervisory character. The chief-master forester, beiijg 

 also a member of the said district government, is appointed by the Sovereign, 

 with the consent of the Minister of Agriculture, Domains and Forests. He 

 is chosen from among the best qualified forest masters. 



PROMOTION OF BEST QUALIFIED OFFICERS IN PRUSSIA. 



Generally speaking, it is characteristic of German and Prussis^n institU' 

 tions that the higher officials — who must at least have passed laudably all 



