FORESTRY IN GERMANY. 1 33 



officer called " forestmaster. " The duties of the forest departments in gen- 

 eral are to superintend- the managements of forests and hunting, within their 

 own districts in particular; to 'examine, report on and submit to the depart- 

 ment of finance the annual plans of management prepared by the different 

 forest offices under their jurisdiction ; to see that these plans are strictly and 

 punctually carried out, to direct the sale of forest products, to control the 

 receipts and expenditures and take un'der their charge all persons employed 

 in the management of forests within their districts. 



Next in order are the forest offices. These offices have charge of the cul- 

 tivation and preservation of the forests and all matters pertaining to the chase. 

 They are required to prepare and submit to the forest department each year 

 plans of management covering all matters relative to the woods, which, after 

 they have been approved by the department of finance, they must carry into 

 practical effect. They have to dispose of the forest products, when especially 

 authorized by the department, must keep a register of the receipts and expen- 

 ditures, as well as a complete record of all transactions in connection with the 

 woods under their control, and have under their charge and surveillance all 

 persons employed for the protection and cultivation of these woodlands and 

 all other purposes. 



The forest office renders its accounts quarterly and transmits them with an 

 accompanying extract from the books, showing a minute account of the receipts 

 and disbursements to the department for examination. This department for- 

 wards the accounts, if correct, to the department of finance, with the recom- 

 mendation that they may be allowed. This rule is to be observed in nearly 

 all matters of business submitted to the department by the forest office. These 

 matters are first referred to the department of finance for approval before they 

 can be carried out and thereby often needlessly delayed. The forest officers 

 as indicated do not communicate with the department of finance directly. 

 There has been set forth strong opposition of late to this course of business. 

 The foresters desire that there be direct connection between the forest office 

 and the department of finance and the district department act only as an 

 inspection office. At present it is an office of management and inspection 

 combined. 



This new system, as indicated by the forest officers in this duchy, has 

 already been to some extent adopted in larger states, for instance, in Prussia 

 Bavaria, &c., and is likely to be introduced here shortly. 



SOURCE OF LUMBER SUPPLY. 



The consumption of lumber here, owing to the numerous factories and 

 industrial establishments, which may be found in every direction, especially 

 in this section of Thuringia, is quite considerable. 



The capacity of the Thuringian forests, state communal and private com- 

 bined, with their almost inexhaustible wood production, would be sufficiently 

 large to meet the entire home demand, since a good deal of lumber is exported 

 from here every year, of which some goes to the cities and districts on the 



