56 FORESTRY IN GERMANY. 



DESTRUCTION OF FORESTS AND REFORESTING. 



As to destruction of forests, it may be said that they suffer occasionally 

 from severe winds, heavy snow falls and thick accumulations of jce, but 

 seldom, and to a small degree, from fire. From no cause is the damage of 

 great consequence, as all injured spots are at once recultivated. There are 

 no sand dunes or waste places within the limits of the state lands, and 

 reclamation of such places is unheard of, as every foot of ground is cultivated 

 to an extent not surpassed in any European country with the exception of 

 Belgium and the Netherlands. 



There are no private sellers of seeds and shoots in this district. They 

 can probably be had from the government officials and perhaps from the 

 foresters who have charge of the forests owned by the cities of Annaberg, 

 Ehrenfriedersdorf and Geyer. The forest authorities in this district are all 

 under the control of Land Forstmeister von Witzleben, whose headquarters 

 are in Dresden, and who is the highest authority in forest affairs in the king- 

 dom. The salary of this official is 6,000 marks (^1,428), and under him are 

 the oberforstmeisters at Dresden, Moritzburg, Schandan, Grillenburg, Bar- 

 enfels, Marienberg, Schwarzenberg, Eibenstock, Auerbach and Zschpan, 

 whose salaries are 4,500 marks each, or ^1,071. Next in rank come the 

 oberforsters, who, in all Saxony, number 113, and then tht forsters, wald- 

 ■waerter, forstschutz and laborers. The cultivation, planting and cutting is 

 ordered by the oberforsters. 



FORESTRY SCHOOLS. 



The Saxon forest academy is located at Tharandt, a delightful village on 

 the line of railway between Freiberg and Dresden, having 2,500 inhabitants, 

 and prettily situated at the junction of three valleys — the Dresdener Thai, 

 Bade Thai and Grausten Thai. 



The academy was founded in 181 6, and to it Saxony owes for the most 

 part its enviable forests and the very profitable management of them. The 

 number of students varies from year to year, from 120 to 150 — about half 

 Germans half foreigners. I enclose herewith a copy of the last annual report 

 of the academy (1886). The institution is most ably conducted by Dr. 

 Judeich, the chief director and instructor, whose salary is 9,000 marks 

 (^2,106). 



The faculty consists of the chief instructor and nine others, viz : Prof. 

 Dr. Krutzsch, Prof Dr. Nobbe, Prof Kunze, Prof. Dr. Nitsche, Prof. Neu- 

 meister. Prof Dr. von Schroder, Prof Dr. Weinmeister, Prof. Lehmann and 

 an assistant instructor, Herr Zeumer. These instructors receive salaries 

 ranging from 2,700 marks (^642.60), the lowest, up to 5,100 marks ($1,213), 

 the highest. The different departments over which these instructors preside 

 is stated in the annual report. 



AGES OF TREES. 



The nadelhok, at least some of the species, attains a wonderful age ; 

 indeed, according to Gericke, in his work " Ueber das Alter der Deutschen 



