FORESTRY IN GERMANY. 151 



Severe laws for the protection of forests have been passed. For instance, 

 no person is allowed to enter a forest with an axe, saw or any other implement 

 that could be used for cutting down trees, and the wanton, damaging or 

 mutilation of trees and nurseries is considered and punished as a misde- 

 .meanor. 



FOREST ADMINISTRATION. 



The administration and management of the government forests is organ- 

 ized in the manner thai, in the home department of state, there is a proper 

 bureau for the forests of the whole kingdom, with divisions of administra- 

 tion for every province, each of which is directed by from two to five forest 

 officers under the supervision of a chief forester. Each of these officers has 

 the superintendence of from five to six districts, managed by an equal num- 

 ber of master foresters, which he must visit and control annually at least four 

 times, after having given notice of his intended visit to the master forester, 

 and once or twice without such notification. 



Every master forester has under his special management an area of from 

 4,000 to 8,000 hectares. He must reside in his district, and has several 

 assistants, which we will name underforesters. Each of these underforesters 

 has the superintendence of about 1,000 hectares. His duty is to direct the 

 planting and felling of trees. They (the underforesters) must have served 

 twelve years in the army, and are required to be good marksmen. 



When the areas are extensive or long-stretched keepers are also employed. 

 The master foresters have the responsibility and management of their 

 respective districts, and are held responsible for the revenues, according to 

 the regulations annually issued. The timber is sold by public auction and 

 the firewood is cut every year in conformity to the stipulated plan of adminis- 

 " tration and cultivation. At these sales an official forest cashier is present and, 

 according to the lists of sales attested by the master forester, receives the 

 amounts of the bids and renders an account of the same to the department. 

 The buyer receives a receipt signed by the forest cashier for his lot purchased, 

 which, however, he cannot remove from the forest before having delivered 

 the receipt to the underforester, who assigns to him his lot. The master 

 foresters have to serve practically one year or more in the forests. They 

 must frequent one of the government forest academies and pass a good examina- 

 tion, as demanded by the regulations. Government schools have also been 

 organized for the instruction of the minor officials. 



FOREST REVENUES. 



According to the "Etat" of the Prussian forest administration for the 

 year ending April i, 1886, which I had an opportunity of perusing, the total 

 reveijue was as follows : 



Receipts 111.52,985,000 



Expenditures 30,660,000 



Net proceeds 22,325,000 



