80 Germany. 
a systematic presentation, and this was not done until 
the middle or last half of the 18th century. 
The first attempts at a literary presentation of the 
empiric knowledge are found in the encyclopedic vol- 
umes of the so-called “Hausviter” (household fathers— 
domestic economists), who treated in a most diffuse 
manner of agriculture in all its aspects, including silvi- 
culture. 
A number of these tomes appeared during the 17th 
century; the best and most influential being published 
at the very beginning of that century (1595-1609), 
written by a preacher from Silesia, Johann Colerus, and 
entitled Oeconomia ruralis et domestica, worin das ampt 
aller braven Hausviter und Hausmiitter begriffen. 
Colerus relied upon home experience and not, as the 
earlier work, Praedium rusticum (translated from the 
French, in 1592), had done, upon the scholastic exposi- 
tions of the Italian, Petrus de Crescentiis, who repro- 
duced much of the Roman lore, entirely inapplicable to 
German conditions. He was rewarded by the popularity 
of his work which went through thirteen editions and 
became very. widely known. 
Somewhat earlier, a jurist, Noé Meurer, wrote a book 
on forest law (second edition, 1576) and hunting which 
on this field remained long an authority, and gives in- 
sight into the condition of forest use at the time. 
But the first independent work on forestry, divorced 
from the hunt and farming, did not appear until 1713, 
Sylvicultura economica, written by the Saxon director 
of mines, Hans Carl v. Carlowtiz. 
This book, while containing quaint and amusing ideas, 
gives many correct rules for silvicultural methods, 
