Development of Silviculture. 61 
In Prussia, in 1773, all recipients of free wood had to 
do service in the cultures; in 1785 every farmer had to 
furnish a certain amount of cones or acorns. The 
method, lately adopted in Russia, came into vogue in 
Prussia in 1719, namely, of charging, besides the value 
of the wood, a toll to be paid into the planting fund 
(about 7% of the value), which method was also imi- 
tated elsewhere. 
The use of the Waldfeldbau (combined farm and for- 
est culture) was also inaugurated for the purpose of 
cheapening the cost of plantations (by +. Langen in 
1744) when the great movement for reforesting wastes 
and openings began, the tree seed being sown with the 
grain either at once or after farm use for some years. 
Regular annual planting budgets (of $50—$100— 
$200) were inaugurated in Brunswick by v. Langen 
in 1745 , and in 1781 the Prussian forest administration 
had attained to entirely moderz planting plans and 
annual planting budgets. 
It was no wonder that the fear of a timber famine and 
the apparent hopelessness of bringing improvement into 
the existing forest conditions created anxiety and a desire 
to plant rapid growers, such as birch, willow, aspen, 
alder ; the planting of the White Birch became so general 
in the beginning of the 18th century that a regular 
betulomania is recorded. 
At that time, to be sure, firewood was still the main 
concern, and these rapid growing species had some justi- 
fication. But where birch was mixed in spruce planta- 
tions its baneful effects consisting in whipping off the 
spruce tips and injuring its neighbors were soon recog- 
nized and much trouble was occasioned in getting rid of 
the unwelcome addition. 
5 
