1904.] 



Forestry in Germany. 



177 



of Central Germany from Nuremberg to the Palatinate. With 

 careful treatment it yields great quantities of wood, even in the 

 hill and mountain country, although generally of inferior value. 

 According to the locality beech and oak, pine and larch, birch 

 and soft woods are frequently grown with it. The pine (Picea 

 exeelsa, Lk.) forms the great forests which cover the mountains 

 of Middle and Southern Germany, but from ancient times it has 

 also been a native of the plains of East Prussia, Silesia, and 

 Hanover. It covers &2 million acres, and is likely to increase, 

 as it is hardy, easily cultivated, gives a high yield of timber in a 

 relatively short time, and is, therefore, preferred in new afforesta- 

 tion and as a substitute for the economically inferior foliage 

 tree. The pitch-pine is usually grown in the Black Forest and 

 the Vosges, but occurs everywhere in mixed woods except in 

 the north-east. It occupies an area of three-quarters of a 

 million acres. The larch is everywhere found mixed with the 

 chief species of wood, mostly in the mountains, where it is at 

 its best. 



Of the typical kinds of forestry, tall timber (high forest) 

 predominates throughout ; about 27 million acres, or 78*5 per 

 cent., being thus planted. Bare clearing with artificial renewal 

 is the general rule for fir and pine, seeding-in with natural 

 renewal for foliage trees and pitch-pine. The cultivation of tall 

 timber demands long periods of management, great areas of 

 cultivation, systematic arrangement and constant care, but 

 yields most wood, and is the most valuable per acre. Low 

 woods cover only 3*5 million acres. They permit of the 

 permanent cultivation of a small area, but yield smaller 

 quantities and less valuable wood. They are to be found in the 

 small estates of Westphalia and the Rhine, and, as far as 

 conifers are concerned, in the east. Middle-sized timber is 

 more sparsely represented, as it amounts only to 5 per cent. 



The yields are greatest in the tall timber woods, in conifer 

 woods, and in the State forests ; smallest in the low woods and 

 in independent private forests. The total production will 

 probably gradually increase, because continued afforestation is 

 taking place and the cultivation of tall conifers is extending. 

 At present younger trees are the most prevalent in the conifer 

 high wood, 48 per cent, of the area being of under 40 years' 

 growth, 33 per cent, from 41 to 80 years' growth, and the 



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