76 Germany. 
A much more elaborate organization of service is, how- 
ever, reported in the mining districts of the Harz moun- 
tains in 1547, with the Director of Mines (Berghaupt- 
man) at the head, and different grades of officials under 
him who were called together periodically for reports and 
discussions. 
Until the middle of the 18th century all those em- 
ployed in the forest service had also duties in connection 
with the chase, at least, those in the superior positions, 
the head official of the hunt being also the head of the 
forest service, and hunting had usually superior claims 
to forestry. The men were supposed to be masters of 
the two branches, i. e. to be familiar with the technique 
of the hunt and of forestry (Hirschgerecht and Holz- 
gerecht). The higher positions were usually reserved 
to the nobility until (during the 18th century) the Cam- 
eralists came into control of the administration, and with 
them under the mercantilistic teachings the apparatus 
of officials also increased. 
These men usually possessed wide, but not deep 
knowledge of matters bearing upon their charges. In 
Prussia, in 1740, the forest service was at least in part 
combined with the military service, Frederick the Great 
instituting the service of riding couriers for the carrying 
of dispatches and these couriers were selected from the 
forest service, an institution which persists up to date in 
the corps of Feldjaeger, while the sons of foresters were 
enlisted in a troop known as Fussjaeger (chasseurs). A 
new era dates from the middle of the 18th century when 
the connection with the hunt, the military organization 
and the nobility, was at least in part abrogated, and a 
more technical organization was attempted. The cause 
