I 

 152 FORESTRY IN GERMANY. 



In my district the revenue is as follows : 



Pomerania M. 4,479,900 



West Prussia 3,5oi,2oo 



East Prussia 5,927,loo 



Total 13,908,200. 



Expenditures : 



Pomerania M. 1,798,169 



East Prussia 3,207,196 



West Prussia 1,880,210 



Total 6,885,575 



Net proceeds of the provinces, 7,022,625 marks. 



Of the above expenses about one-fourth is absorbed by the salaries and 

 gratuities of the first officials, the remainder in maintaining and managing 

 the forests, and principally by constructing new roads. 



Volumes might be written about the profits and advantages of the forest 

 culture in general. I confine myself to mentioning only a few of the leading 

 points, viz. : The only and certain protection against the advance of the 

 sand from the seashore; inundation and the dangers of storms; the cultiva- 

 tion of areas of inferior quality that cannot be made use of for agricultural 

 purposes, but are made to pay the proprietor by the growing and cultivation 

 of trees, is to keep up and maintain the forests. Respecting the climate, the 

 woods have a great influence on temperature, attraction of dew and rain, 

 purification and cooling of the atmosphere, &c. 



In mountainous regions the woods are the only effective protection 

 against inundations, devastations by heavy rains and dew-waters in spring and 

 early summer. 



FOREST PLANTING. 



I have been informed that there are numerous methods of forest planting 

 and culture, and it would be quite impossible to explain such in a report, 

 which differ according to the situation, the quality of the soil, the species, 

 the time of the year for planting, and the climate, and in America would 

 depend upon conditions most probably quite different from those in this 

 country. In a fertile soil containing much richness the forest renews itself 

 by the seeds dropping down from the full-grown trees, and by the planting of 

 young trees in the bare places. On poorer, barren sandy soil the fir forests, 

 which predominate in my district, are cultivated by sowing the fir seeds in 

 rows distant one-half meter apart. After three years have elapsed the spots 

 having remained bare are filled up by the young trees of three years' growth, 

 which are planted closely or thickly, because by this means the growth of 

 strong and straight trees is assured, which is of great importance. Pre- 

 miums for renewing private forests are generally not paid by the government, 

 except in some parts of the country where it has been deemed expedient to 

 encourage the proprietors of large tracts of land of poor quality to cultivate- 

 them by growing trees, that climatic and other dangers may be avoided. 



