Restrictions in Forest Use. 47 



ting of May trees, similar to our crusade against the use 

 of Christmas trees. A diameter limit to which trees 

 might be permitted to be cut, was also frequently urged. 

 Eegulation of forest use did not confine itself to the 

 princely properties alone, but, iu the interest of the 

 whole, the restrictions were extended to all owners. 

 These restrictions were directed either to the practice 

 in the exploitation of the forest or to the use of the 

 material. In the latter direction the attempts at re- 

 ducing the consumption of building timber are of 

 special interest. Building inspectors were to approve 

 building plans and inspect biiUdings to see that 

 they were most economically constructed; that repairs 

 were made promptly, to avoid the necessity of more ex- 

 tensive ones; that new buildings replacing old ones were 

 not built higher than the old ones. In Saxony, as early 

 as 1560, it was ordered that the whole house must be 

 built of stone, while elsewhere, the building of stone 

 base walls and the use of brick roofs instead of shingles 

 was insisted upon. 



Even the number of houses in any community was 

 restricted. Fences were to be supplanted by hedges and 

 ditches. 



Economies in charcoal burning, in potash manufac- 

 ture for glass and in the turpentine industry were pre- 

 scribed, and about 1600, the burning of potash for fer- 

 tilizer was forbidden entirely, but these laws proved un- 

 availing. Even in fuel-wood a saving was to be effected 

 by using only the poorer woods and windfalls, by insti- 

 tuting public bake ovens (still in use in Westphalia), 

 by improving stoves, restricting the number of bathing 

 rooms, etc. 



