200 



Forestry in Hesse. 



[JUNE, 



wood and 1,510,250 cubic feet to improved forestry methods. 

 More intensive methods of cultivation have increased the 

 yield per year per acre from 74 cubic feet to 83 cubic feet. 

 Whereas the yield in 1889-90 was 73 cubic feet, in 1908 it 

 was 85 cubic feet. This is a substantial increase, and the 

 reasons for the improvement are worthy of note. 



In the first place the size of the forest range has been 

 decreased so that the "Oberforster " has now a smaller area 

 to supervise, and is therefore able to give more time 

 to each separate wood under his charge. This has resulted 

 not only in a larger return from thinnings, but also in an 

 increased increment. During the period 1889/ 1890-1899/ 1900 

 50 per cent, of the total yield was obtained from thinnings 

 and 50 per cent, from final fellings, whereas in the second 

 period of ten years 62 per cent, was obtained from thinnings 

 and 38 per cent, from final fellings. The result of the change 

 has therefore been to increase the yield and to improve the 

 state of the woods. In the second place a new method of 

 working plan has been introduced. Under the old system 

 the woods were divided into Age Classes and treated accord- 

 ingly, while under the new system the treatment is based on 

 the relation between the actual and the normal increment 

 in a given wood. The fellings are then arranged so that 

 within a reasonable period of time the increment of the forest 

 may be raised to the normal. 



It is held that the yield of the forests of Hesse can be 

 further improved in three ways : — (1) By felling areas which 

 are stocked with unsuitable species and replanting with 

 others; (2) by filling up blanks in areas' recently purchased; 

 (3) by the conversion of oak coppice into high forest. 



It is estimated also that the new method of treatment will 

 have a considerable effect on the revenue by increasing the 

 proportion of useful timber and decreasing the proportion 

 of firewood in the yield. Timber on an average is worth 

 twice as much per cubic foot as firewood, and in the last ten 

 years the proportion of timber has been increased 6 per cent., 

 viz., from 18 per cent, in 1889 to 24 per cent, in 1899, and 

 29 per cent, of the whole in 1908. 



The Gross Yield. — In accordance with the increased yield 

 in timber the gross annual income has also grown from 



