58 Germany. 
the beginning of the 14th century, extensive artificial re- 
forestation did not begin until the middle of the 18th 
century, by which time planting methods were quite 
fully developed. 
Among the hardwoods, the oak was the first to receive 
special attention. By the middle of the 16th century the 
forest ordinances gave quite explicit instructions for 
planting oak in the so-called Hutewald, a combination of 
pasture and tree growth such as is found to-day in the 
bluegrass region of Kentucky; the remnants of these 
poor pasture woods with their gnarly oaks have lasted 
into modern times. 
In the forest ordinance of Brunswick (1598) 
orders are given to plant on felling areas: “every full 
farmer shall every year at the proper time set out ten 
young oaks, every half farmer five, every farm laborer 
three, well taken up with roots (wildlings), and plant 
them in the commons or openings at Martini (Novem- 
ber) or Mitfasten (Easter) and cover them with thorn 
brush” (to protect them against cattle). 
About that time it was, indeed, incumbent on every 
marker to sow annually five oaks, or plant several young 
seedlings for every tree cut and to tend them a few years; 
and the custom existed in the low country, (afterwards 
(1700) introduced by law in Saxony) to plant in celebra- 
tion of certain occurrences—a kind of arborday—espe- 
cially to celebrate the marriage day; in order to be mar- 
ried the bridegroom had to prove that he had planted a 
certain number of oaks, which in Prussia (1719) had to 
be six, besides six fruit trees. The existence of this cus- 
tom, now long forgotten, has given rise in the United 
States to the story that this is the method by which the 
German forest is maintained. 
