I96 REPORT OF THE FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 



saw the peril of such treatment of the Avoodlands and gave expression to his fears 

 in the oft-quoted words: France perira faute des dot's/ — "France will perish 

 through lack of woods." Agitation for an improvement upon the method of 

 forest exploitation became very active and resulted in the French ordinance 

 of 1669* which established a system called La Metlwde a tire et aire. By this 

 method the forest was divided into lots, to each of which, in succession, ordinary 

 fellings were confined, trees being left properly distributed for the dispersion of 

 seed. Thus, for example, a timber forest was divided into one hundred and twenty 

 lots, and each year only one lot was lumbered and then left to restore itself from 

 the seed trees for one hundred and twenty years. 



This system was adopted in Germany and was practiced in both countries until 

 about the middle of the eighteenth century. It was then observed that the forests 

 exploited under this method were not well restored. The conifers did not seed 

 sufficiently, and the beech failed to give a satisfactory growth, either of seedlings 

 or of shoots from the stumps left in the ground. 



The French, though recognizing the evils, were slow to attempt a remedy; 

 but the Germans, toward the end of the reign of Frederick the Great, issued an 

 ordinance which confined the fellings upon the different lots to the removal of 

 mature trees upward of 70 or 80 years of age, and the bad wood. But even 

 this mode of exploitation failed of the desired result — a sustained yield. 



The modern system of forestry was devised by Hartig, who, in 17 91, published 

 a treatise entitled, "Instruction in Forest Economy for Foresters," which con- 

 tained his views on the exploitation and reproduction of the forest. Cotta, who, 

 in 1817, published a work entitled, "Instruction in the Culture of Woods," carried 

 forward the work of Hartig. It is to Cotta that the credit is due for modern 

 forest economy in its complete development. 



^tafas of fl)e Forester. 



Forestry in Europe is now a well-established profession for which the candidate 

 must prepare himself thoroughly. He must learn the science in a forestry school, 

 where the course of study requires as much labor as that for any other learned 

 profession. After graduation he must practice the art for several years under a 

 forest master, an officer who has charge of a range. He takes, first, a position 

 called in Germany " Forstreferender," at a salary of about 1,200 marks. In two 

 or three years he is advanced to that of " Forstassessor," at 3,000 marks. With 



*See French Forest Ordinance of 1669, by J. C. Brown. 



