THE CULTIVATED FORESTS OF EUROPE. 1 95 



History of Forestry. 



The art of forestry may be said to have had its origin among the Germanic 

 tribes about 1,000 years ago, although Plato, 400 years before the coming of 

 Christ, deplored the destruction of the forests of Greece. 



The first comprehensive code of forest laws is attributed to Canute, a famous 

 King of England, Denmark and Norway, who reigned from 1014 till 1035. These 

 laws defined the forest as a hunting-ground for the King. The trees were con- 

 sidered as only a shelter and covert for the game. Later, under Norman rule, 

 the laws were much modified and became very objectionable to the people. It is 

 said that their severity was one of the causes which brought about the passing 

 of the Magna Charta, with which was associated the Charta Foresta.* 



Until quite recent times the forest was considered as only a hunting-ground. 

 The following statement appears in Manwood's "Forest Laws," published in 1598: 

 "A forest is a certain territory of woody grounds and fruitful pastures, privileged 

 for wild beasts and foules of forest, chase and warren, to rest and abide 

 in, in the safe protection of the King for his princely delight and pleasure." 

 Blackstone's definition of a forest reads thus: "Forests are waste grounds belong- 

 ing to the King, replenished with all manner of chase or venery, which are 

 under the King's protection for the sake of his recreation and delight, "f 



The artificial reforesting of waste lands was begun by the city of Nuremberg, 

 Bavaria, in 1368, by the planting of pine, a practice soon imitated by many 

 communities in southwestern Germany. 



About the middle of the seventeenth century, forest exploitation was carried 

 on in Europe much in the same way as it has been carried on in America to 

 the present day, the forests there at that time having come to be valued for 

 their wood more than for the shelter they afforded to the game. There was but 

 little regard for the conservation of the forest. The question as to whether trees 

 should be taken from the woods or left therein was simply a market question. 

 The trees that would bring in the market a price sufficient to leave a margin 

 after paying the cost of removal were taken, the rest were left. This method is 

 called, in French, jardinage, or gardening, as the procedure is similar to that 

 of a gardener gathering vegetables. 



Under this system there was a reckless destruction of forests, and the disastrous 

 consequences began to be apparent. Colbert, the minister of Louis XIX, clearly 



* See English Estate Forestry, page 8, by A. C. Forbes, 

 f See Forests in England, by J. C. Brown. 



