Forest Conditions. 91 
the 18th century, the conditions of the forest at the be- 
ginning of the new century were most pitiable; the divi- 
sion of the Mark by which the peasants became indi- 
vidnal' owners, profited little and led to devastation 
rather than to improving the condition of the property. 
In addition, export trade in wood had become brisk and 
the financial depression, a result of the French wars, 
led to increased exploitations, which, with the improve- 
ment in means of transportation, progressed to the more 
distant forest areas and enlarged the waste area. Espe- 
cially in the more densely. populated parts of the country 
the.deforested area widened, and large wastes with poor 
young growth increased in all directions in the same 
manner as now in the United States. The alarmists 
had good cause for renewing their cries and about the 
year. 1800 a considerable literature on the subject of the 
threatening timber famine grew up, and the desire for 
rapidly growing species became once more prevalent. 
It is interesting to note that at that time the Catalpa 
played a role, at least on paper, as it does in our own 
day, being recommended in 1801 as the only means 
of counteracting the timber famine. The betulomania 
spread’ widely over the country. In North Germany 
especially great efforts were made to replant the 
denuded areas and to change the coppice areas, fit only 
for firewood, to coniferous species, pine, etc., by which 
eventually a great change in the forest type from the 
original mixed forest to the pure forest was effected. 
3. Personnel. 
The great change to improved conditions, which took 
place in the first half of the century, was pre-eminently 
