FORESTRY IN GERMANY. 

 Expenses. 



83 



FOREST PLANTING. 



About 70 per cent, of the forest is growing trees, or what is here called leaf- 

 wood. The age in which the wood is chopped is : for oaks, 150 to 180 years; 

 for beech, 100 to 120 years ; for trees with pointed leaves (for pine, Scotch 

 fir or birch), 30 to 100 years, the last-named being often chopped within 30 

 or 40 years, because it is then fit for certain purposes in connection with 

 mining interests, building shafts, &c. Beech is not planted much, because it 

 is 'not considered as excellent for firewood or timber. 



The planting and growth in former times was by the act of nature ; of late 

 years by shoots or small plants that are raised in nursery gardens and carefully 

 transplanted at the proper season of the year and nursed and cared for until 

 the growth is well started. In each forest district one or two of the nursery 

 gardens are maintained in excellent condition. 



A peculiar method of wood culture is used in what is called the " Rheinwar- 

 dens. ' ' These are the lands which are formed by alluvial deposits in certain 

 points on the banks of the Rhine. As soon as the deposit is so high that the 

 water does not cover it at all times, the land is covered with willow stubs; 

 these grow very fast, sand and earth deposits are formed readily between 

 them, and the land soon reaches that height that the water overflows it seldom. 

 The patches of land thus reclaimed become excellent pasture or meadow 

 land, and the willow trees valuable, the cuttings finding ready sale for basket 

 and other twisted woodwork. 



DESTRUCTION OF FOREST.r— CAUSES AND RESULTS. 



As the district of Diisseldorf is extensively populated, all products of rural 

 economy are very much in demand. 



Owing to the growth of the iron and other industries, which are scattered 

 at short distances throughout the district and the demand for suitable terri- 

 tory, a great portion of the private forests have been devastated and made 

 into arable land. In consequence of that the humidity of the earth dimin- 

 ishes and the land itself gets more sterile; besides that, the useful birds, losing 

 their shelter and places for nests, decrease; insects multiply, and, conse- 

 quently, the grain fields are seriously damaged thereby. It is, of course, 



