Silviculture. . 267 
for the use of the mast, which then formed more than 
one-quarter of the income from the royal forests. 
In the 18th century the need of forest management 
was recognized, and in 1763 the two eminent German 
foresters, von Langen and von Zanthier (see p 83) 
were invited to visit Denmark and Norway (see above) 
with a view of organizing such management. In 1760 
eight young Danes were sent to von Langen in Werni- 
gerode to study his methods for three years, and these 
with the two German foresters returned in 1763, and 
under the direction of von Langen organized the Seeland 
forest areas and started the first plantations of conifers, 
which are now the pride of Danish foresters. 
In 1781 the State forests were altogether placed under 
an organized administration. 
By the beginning of the 19th century the reduction of 
forest areas had progressed to such an extent that in 
1805 a law was enacted providing that the then existing 
forest area containing beech and oak should be main- 
tained forever, or at least that for any new clearing an 
equivalent area be planted to forest. This law was per- 
haps the result of a journey in 1802 to Germany made 
by two leading officials of the forest department, Ger- 
man influence through Cotta and Hartig being at this 
time visible everywhere. 
Other restrictions in the disposal of peasants’ farms 
or woodlands and in the manner of farming the large 
estates otherwise than by renting to farmers, were also 
enacted in order to secure stability of the peasant class 
and to prevent aggregation of large estates. In this 
reform movement the name of Count Reventlow appears 
as the leading spirit, as Chief of the State forest depart- 
ment. 
