OBSEKVATIONS BY EBERMAYER. 211 



About the time that Herr Wex's paper was published in 1873, 

 there was held ia Vienna an International Congress of distinguished 

 students of forest science. By them was resolyed to send to the 

 different governments of the civilized world the following expression 

 of their views : 



" 1. We recognize the fact that, in order to effectually check the 

 contiaually increasing devastation of forests which is being carried on, 

 latemational agreements are needed, especially in relation to the 

 preservation and proper cultivation (for the end in view) of those 

 forests lying at the sources and along courses of the great rivers, 

 since it is known that through the reckless destruction of them, 

 there results a great decrease of the volume of water, causing detri- 

 ment to trade and commerce, the filling up the river's bed with 

 sand, caving in of the banks, and inundations of agricultural lands 

 along the river course. 



" 2. We farther recognize it to be the mutual duty of all civilized 

 nations to presejrve and to cultivate all such forests as are of vital im- 

 portance to the well-being — agricultural and otherwise — of the whole 

 land, such as those on sandy coasts, on the sides and crowns, as well as 

 on the steep declivities of mountains, and on the sea-coasts and other 

 exposed places, and that international principles should be laid down, 

 to which the owners of such protecting or " guardian forests " should 

 submit in order to preserve the land from damage. 



" 3. We recognize farther that it is the case that we have not at 

 present a sufficient knowledge of the evils (disturbances in nature) 

 which are caused by the devastation of the forests, and therefoia 

 that the efforts of legislators should be directed to causing exact 

 data to be gathered relating thereto." 



It has been noticed as a singular coincidence, that, at nearly the 

 same time, the American Association for the Advancement of Science 

 had under discussion measures tending to similar results, although 

 not expressly designing to extend its recommendations beyond the 

 limits of the United States, except in the way of correspondence with 

 other associations having similar objects in view. It is not supposed 

 that either of these bodies derived their su^estions from the other, 

 although the proceedings at Portland ajUedate those at Vienna only 

 about three weeks in time. 



The coincidence, however, shows the wide and general prevalence 

 of a realizing belief that the time for action has now come, and that it 

 is the duty of all Governments to look well to the future, and take 



