598 



THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



certain prescriptive rights that are held and exercised by the common 

 people. These rights include the pasturage of domestic animals, the 

 removal of stumps and certain amount of brushwood, the removal of 

 forest litter, etc. These inherited rights are being bought up as rapidly 

 as possible, and the exercise of them is discouraged in every way. In 

 many places where fully exercised anything like modern constructive 

 forestry is impossible. 



Still good will sometimes comes from what is generally regarded as 

 evil. In a fine forest near Ysenburg, the ravages of the larva of the 

 June bug made it impossible to plant successfully the seedlings of the 

 pine in the areas to be reforested. It was found that the soil cover of 

 these areas, which had been removed by the inhabitants, and the pres- 

 ence of an unusually large number of hogs, all due to certain prescrip- 

 tive rights, were the main influences in causing a thoroughly success- 

 ful natural seed regeneration. Thus was accomplished what had been 

 regarded as impossible. 



The financial success of German forestry depends mainly upon two 

 factors. First, good means of transportation, and, second, the owners, 

 whether they be states, cities, royal families, communities, associations 

 or private individuals, only sell annually about the amount of wood 

 that is produced each year. By so doing the market is never over- 

 stocked, the demand is always greater than the supply, and the price is 

 kept above the cost of production. The German forest policy aims to 

 reforest all waste or non-agricultural lands, and to gradually increase 

 the forest area under direct state control. It aims to furnish good 

 means of education and training in forestry at the state expense. It is 

 seeking to extend the best possible means of protection, both from ani- 

 mate and inanimate enemies over all forest lands. 



Another feature that we may well imitate is to encourage the larg- 

 est public use of all forests as a means of health, recreation and enjoy- 

 ment for all the people. While American forestry should not be con- 

 tent to merely follow European methods and teachings, if we would 

 be really progressive, our leaders must acquaint themselves with the 

 best achievements elsewhere, and up to this time no nation can show 

 such results as Germany. 



