252 FORESTRY IN AUSTRIA-HUNGARY. 



BOHEMIA. 



REPORT OF CONSUL JONAS. 



AREA OF FORESTS. 



Bohemia, in spite of its dense population, belongs to the well- wooded por- 

 tions of Europe. There are 1,474,518 hectares under forest, the whole sur- 

 face of the country measuring 5,195,426 hectares (i hectare being equal to 

 about 2j^ acres), consequently 28.4 per cent, of the entire area of Bohemia 

 is covered with forests. The percentage of the wooded surface in the whole 

 Austro-Hungarian monarchy does not vary much from that of Bohemia, being 

 29.8 ; this percentage in Europe is only exceeded by Russia, including Poland 

 and Finland, and by Sweden. All the other European countries fall below 

 the Austrian average. Great Britain having the lowest percentage of forests, 

 namely, 4 per cent, of the whole area. 



The question has recently been raised and discussed whether the area under 

 forests in Bohemia has been increasing or decreasing within the last century. 

 A comparison of the old statements as to the wooded area, with recent surveys, 

 would show an apparent increase, but reliable official surveys only date back 

 to the year 1 850. From these it appears beyond question that, in consequence 

 of the progress of agriculture and the more varied uses of the soil, and of the 

 increased demand for lumber, the forest area has been decreasing in Bohemia 

 the same as in other European countries. It has been ascertained that in the 

 twenty-five years from 1850 to 1875 there was an actual decrease of 33,212 

 hectares, which is equal to about 1 20 square miles (sections), or 2. 20 per cent, 

 of the entire area under forests. This loss is not inconsiderable, occuring 

 during a period when forest culture had reached a high degree of development 

 and the importance of the preservation of forests had been generally recog- 

 nized. It is to be observed that there was a decrease of the forests owned by 

 small proprietors (8. 74 per cent, of the whole area) and by corporations (2.48 

 per cent.), whereas the large domains show in the same period a slight increase. 



NATURE OF THE FORESTS. 



According to their nature, the Bohemian forests present the following 

 division : 



The compact or large bodies of forest land contain 1,160,183 hectares of 

 the whole wooded area; the small or detached parcels 314,355 hectares. 



Of coniferous trees the prevailing species are the spruce-fir, the pine, and 

 the larch. The spruce predominates, covering in most parts of the country 

 over 50 per cent, of the forest area, and in the mountains fully 80 per cent. 



