GERMAN FOREST MANAGEMENT — BAVARIA. 



U £J*J 



the last thirty years generally less than 2 per cent of the gross income. To many in this land of 

 forest fires it may perhaps be remarkable that this general enemy and its destructions have not 

 been of sufficient consequence to deserve compilation for this general statement. These mountain 

 forests of spruce and pine are simply not allowed to bum up. 



The management of the forests of Saxony is similar to those of Prussia. While those of the 

 State are under conservative and most efficient care, those of private persons and corporations 

 are practically freej the only thing the State authorities do is to give good example, assist private 

 individuals, etc., by furnishing cheap plant material from the forest nurseries and to prepare plans 

 for the management of forests if such plans are asked and paid for. 



BAVARIA. 



The kingdom of Bavaria has a total area of about 18.8 million acres, or little more than half 

 that of the State of Wisconsin, supporting a population of about 5,589,000 people. It comprised 

 about 10,500,000 acres, or 56 per cent, of fields and gardens ; 750,000 acres, or 4 per cent, of pasture 

 lands; 6,350,000 acres, or 34 per cent, of forest; 1,200,000 acres, or per cent, of unproductive 

 land, largely mountains, roads, and water surfaces. 



On the whole, this relation of areas has not changed materially in over thirty-five years, so 

 that in 1893 the total area of forest lands is given at about 6,200,000 acres, or at 35.1 per cent of 

 the entire land surface. 



Of these 6,200,000 acres there are: State forests, 2,160,000 acres, or 34.8 per cent; corpora- 

 tion forests, 780,000 acres, or 12.6 per cent; pond forests, 110,000 acres, or 1.7 per cent; private 

 forests, 3,150,000 acres, or 50.9 per cent. 



The forest laws and forest organization resemble those of Baden and Wurttemberg. The 

 private forests are under State supervision, clearing of forest lands requires a permit, the mis- 

 management or devastation of a forest property is forbidden, and devastated forest areas are to 

 be reforested by the State and the expense charged to the forest. All corporation and Fonds 

 forests are under direct control of or are managed under control of the State forest authorities, 

 so that fully one-half the forest area of Bavaria is under careful treatment. As with all German 

 States, Bavaria constantly endeavors to increase the State holdings, and deteriorated and other 

 forest properties are bought up as opportunity offers. During the fifty years ending 1894, the 

 State purchased about 144,000 acres, at a cost of $5,577,000, or about $38 per acre. Besides this 

 increase of territory, the State has, during this same period, expended about $3,800,000 in the 

 purchase of easements or servitude, involving 10,716 separate cases of privileges to timber and 

 firewood. Nevertheless, there are still many of these privileges or servitudes, which require an 

 annual outlay of over $400,000 and thus represent a capital value of over $10,000,000. 



The distribution of the forests over the kingdom is rather an even one. Six of the eight 

 provinces have over 30 per cent, the lowest 22 per cent of forest area, while the highest 38 per 

 cent. Of the entire forests area about 90 per cent is covered by timber forest, where the timber 

 is cut usually at about 100 to 120 years, and only 9.4 per cent as coppice and standard coppice. 



Forty years ago the same was stocked as follows : 



State forests 



Corporation forests 

 Private torests 



Coppice 

 Timber ' and 

 forests. , standard 



coppice. 



Per cent. 

 92 

 (52 



72 



Per cent 

 5 

 35 



12 



Selection 

 timber 

 forests. 



Per cent 

 3 

 3 

 14 



True average for the -whole area. 



78.5 



12.7 



8.4 



The principal forest trees are the conifers, chiefly spruce. Of the total, about 40.2 per cent is 

 spruce and fir, 30 per cent pine, 9.7 per cent beech, 4 per cent oak (two-thirds oak-bark coppice), 

 2.3 per cent other hard- wood timber, 6.S per cent other hard-wood coppice. 



Thus, conifers represent about 77 per cent, the hard woods 23 per cent. The conifers are 

 primarily the trees of the mountains, the hard woods, beech particularly, being most abundant in 



