FORESTRY IN GERMANY. 57 



Waldbaume," it has attained a greater age in Germany than any other tree. 

 A peculiarity of the nadelholzern is, that as soon as they have reached the 

 highest limit of healthy condition they die, while the foliage trees often con- 

 tinue to vegetate for a long time. Next to the nadelholzern, writes Gericke, 

 the greatest ages to which trees in Germany are positively known to have 

 lived are from 500 to 570 years. The pine in Bohemia and the pine in 

 Norway and Sweden have lived to the latter age. Next comes the silver fir, 

 which, in the Bohemian forests, has stood and thrived for 429 years. In 

 Bavaria the larch has reached the age of 274 years. Of foliage trees the oak 

 appears to survive the longest. The best example is the evergreen oak at 

 Aschoiifenburg, which reached the age of 410 years. Other oaks in Germany 

 have lived to be from 315 to 320 years old. At Aschoffenburg the red beech 

 has lived to the age of 245 years, and at Weisswasser to the age of 226 years. 

 Of other trees the highest known ages are ash, 170 years ; birch, 160 to 200 

 years; aspen, 219 years; mountain maple, 224 years; elm, 130 years; red 

 alder, 145 years. 



I will take the liberty to make public the following letter which I received 

 from Herr Dr. Judeich, chief director of the Royal Forest Academy at 

 Tharandt, a gentleman of deep learning and an authority on all matters per- 

 taining to forestry : 



Royal Forest Academy, 

 Tharandt, Saxony, December 31, 1886. 

 George B. Goodwin, Esq., 



U. S. Consul, 

 Dear Sir : You are certainly quite right when you speak of the importance of forest culture 

 for the United States, but allow me to express my belief that no earnest work in that direction 

 will be accomplished there. The culture of the forests proceeds too slowly to suit your 

 countrymen, and the profits are not forthcoming soon enough. A few prominent men have 

 taken an interest in the matter, to my knowledge, for instance. Prof. Lene, of Cincinnati, who 

 helped to establish a forestry congress, and with whom I have exchanged letters several 

 times. But nothing of importance has come from his efforts. A young Saxon forester, who 

 several years ago went to America and remained there for quite a while, at my request, is of 

 the same opinion as I am, viz. : that nothing can be done yet in the United States. The late 

 Franklin B. Hough, as is well known, interested himself very much in the matter. His 

 report upon forestry, prepared under the direction of the Commissioner of Agriculture, " in 

 pursuance of an act of Congress, approved August 15, 1876," and published at Washington 

 in 1878, contains among other things many interesting notes about the manner of teaching 

 forestry in Germany and Austria. As a whole, these notes are correct as applicable to the 

 present time, but since they were written the Wurtemburg Forest Academy has been removed 

 from Hohenheim to the University of Tubingen, and the Bavarian Academy to Munich. Your 

 countrymen therefore, have every opportunity to inform themselves upon forestry matters with 

 the aid of their own literature. Should you desire to become acquainted with the tuition of 

 forestry in Germany, and to keep pace with the most advanced thought upon the subjects 

 pertaining thereto, I would recommend that you procure through your bookseller the second 

 part of the forest and hunting calendar, published by Springer, of Berlin. You might also 

 find valuable information in the volumes of " Hand-book of Forestry,'' (" Hand-buck def 

 Forstwissenschaft,") to be had from Lorey of Tubingen, Lampsche book-stall. The third 

 and fourth volumes contain interesting and important particulars. In my opinion good 

 resuhs from forest culture can only be had in the United States when the government shall 



