76 



" In Germany, and especially in my more narrow-bounded Fatherland, Prussia, it is 

 regarded as of the greatest importance, not only to preserve the forests already there, but 

 to extend them as much as possible. 



" In the National Appropriation Bill large sums are set apart for the purchase of 

 such lands as are unfit for cultivation, and for utilizing the same by planting trees. 



" With reference to forests owned by private individuals, they are not restrained in 

 the use of their forests, and may, according to their own judgment, clear the same and 

 till the soil, in short, do what they like, and yet there may be certain restrictions placed 

 on the free use of the same as soon as danger to the common welfare is feared ; these 

 restrictions are prescribed by the law of July 5, 1875, relative to forest protection. 



" This law is applicable in cases : 



"1. Where, by reason of the sandy nature of the soil, adjoining lands, or public 

 grounds, natural or artificial courses, are in danger of being covered with sand. 



" 2. Where, through the washing away of the soil, or through the formation of cascades 

 in open places on the ridges of hill and on hillsides, the arable lands, streets, or buildings 

 living below are in danger of being covered with earth or stone, or of being flooded ; or 

 the lands or public grounds, or buildings lying above are in danger of sliding. 



"3. Where, through the destruction of the forests along the banks of canals or natural 

 streams, riparian lands are in danger of caving, or buildings hitherto protected by the 

 woods are in danger of iceflows. 



" 4. Where, through the destruction of forests, rivers are in danger of a diminution of 

 the stage of the water. 



"5. Where, through the destruction of forests in open places and near the lakes, 

 neighbouring fields are seriously exposed to the detrimental influences of winds. 



" In the cases above mentioned, which have been copied verbatim from the statute 

 book, the manner of use as well as the culture of forests may be legally ordered, in order 

 to prevent those dangers where the dangers to be averted are considerably in excess of 

 the damages which would result to the owner by reason of the restrictions." 



Saxony. 



The state forests are nearly 400,000 acres, worked at an expense of $500,000, receiv- 

 ing §1,750,000, leaving a clear rental of $3 per acre. The expenditure is planting, drain- 

 ing, roads, improvement of inferior woods, felling, transport, killing insects, etc. About 

 5,000 acres are planted yearly, at an ^.verage cost of $7.50 per acre. 



The fixed establishment is one inspector, fifteen over-forest-masters, one hundred and 

 twenty district foresters, sixteen cash-keepers, thirteen engineers, twenty-seven foresters, 

 and eighty-three sub-foresters. 



There is a forest academy at Tharandt, with a separate staff of professors. 



The system of planting now principally experimented on is much the same as that 

 previously described, the young trees being several feet high before the old trees are all 

 removed. One operation is noticeable. It was decided to convert a mixed hardwood 

 forest, patchy and irregular, with impoverished soil, in 1820, into a coniferous forest, and 

 maps were drawn showing what it would be in eighty years. Private intersecting lands 

 have been bought up, and by 1900 the ideal chart will be actual. Already, in place of a 

 straggling wood, irregularly covered with timber trees of inferior growth, we have now a 

 compact close forest, regularly wooded in sections of different ages, principally spruce and 

 Scotch fir, but containing also fine oak, ash and beech, with straight and clean stems. In 

 many cases the young oaks have been left where pines were planted, and the introduction 

 of the latter has had a wonderfully good effect on the oaks. 



All private rights were abolished and compensated in these forests by a Bill passed 

 in 1832. 



