FORESTRY IN GERMANY. 8 1 



Pecuniary benefits from the sale of wood, from hunting privileges or from 

 any other source enure alone to the benefit of the government. The peo- 

 ple are generally well aware of the law and appear to carefully respect the 

 same. 



ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTIONS OF GOVERNMENT FOREST BUREAUS. 



Diisseldorf is the capital of a part of Rhein-Preussen, with a complete or- 

 ganization of government bureaus independent of city affairs, and embraced 

 within this establishment is to be found a "forest bureau," with jurisdiction 

 over the forest district of Diisseldorf alone, with organization and personnel 

 about as follows: Oberforstmeister, forstmeister, forst inspector, oberforster 

 forst assessor, fiscal forester, common forester, assistant forester. 



The oberforstmeister, or chief ranger, has the supervision, inspection and 

 management of the forests of his district. 



The government forests of the entire district are divided into five ober- 

 forstcrcicn of from 1,300 to 7,800 hectares area, each of which is managed 

 by an oberfdrster (high forester) ; between the oberforstmeister and the high 

 forester range the. forstmeister , or ranger, and the forest inspector as assistants 

 of the first. 



All these officials must be graduates in all classes of what is called the 

 gymnasium or school of the highest order, besides a practical service of one 

 year under a chief forester in the various duties in the office, field and woods ; 

 and, further, a study of three years in a forest academy. After examination 

 promotions are made, only after practical service, to the higher positions. 

 These rules and regulations apply to forests belonging to certain titled heads, 

 as well as the common forests, in which some rights of the people are recog- 

 nized. 



Each chief forestry is divided, for certain other purposes, into from 6 

 to 10 forest districts, which said subdistricts are managed by foresters who at- 

 tend to the culture and care of the trees, and protection of the loose wood 

 and game. 



To obtain the position of forester young men of from 15 to 1 6' years of 

 age must, after ' having graduated from the common school, go through a 

 practical service of three years under a chief forester, this besides and in 

 addition to the three years' military service compelled by the government, 

 which, in this case, must be in a shooting or hunter's battalion. If the exam- 

 ination is passed, with good testimonials, the applicant can get a position as 

 forester after a long service as assistant forester. 



In addition to this there is a position of aycMmm forster of second grade, 

 which places are usually filled by soldiers of hunting or shooting battalions, 

 after a satisfactory service of about nine years ; and if the examination of the 

 first-named forester is not good, the applicant can only obtain a position in 

 the second grade last-named. 



The pay of the oberforstmeister is about 6,000 to 8,000 marks per year; 

 the pay of an oberfdrster is from z,ooo to 3,300 marks, in accordance with 

 E. F. 7 



