. Popular science monthly. illustra-tion. A little more than a century ago, this forest, which is on abso-lute forest or non-agricultural land, was a worthless wilderness. Thefew straggling trees were decrepit and diseased. The whole forest hadbeen practically ruined, by the combined action of fire, pasturing andreckless cuttings. To-day there are few better or more remunerativeforests in Germany. It is an interesting picture, and shows what theart of foresty can accomplish when based on the principles, and oper-ated by the methods, of science. There was one feature of this forestthat presente
. Popular science monthly. illustra-tion. A little more than a century ago, this forest, which is on abso-lute forest or non-agricultural land, was a worthless wilderness. Thefew straggling trees were decrepit and diseased. The whole forest hadbeen practically ruined, by the combined action of fire, pasturing andreckless cuttings. To-day there are few better or more remunerativeforests in Germany. It is an interesting picture, and shows what theart of foresty can accomplish when based on the principles, and oper-ated by the methods, of science. There was one feature of this forestthat presented a peculiarly interesting, not to say fascinating, picture FORESTS AND FORESTRY OF GERMANY 595 to an American forester. It was some experimental plantations ofAmerican trees begun some 30 years ago. In these plantations, as theyare seen to-day, are fine stands of Douglas fir, Engleman spruce,Western cedar, hemlock, white pine and many other American species!Careful measurement of the annual growth of these trees have been. A Foeest Macadam Road in a Saxony Forest, showing a fine growth of Spruce oneither side near Swartzenberg, Saxony. taken. The results are equally interesting and instructive. In 1911the increment per acre, including the branchwood, was, for the Douglasfir, something over two cords, and that of the hemlock was a little morethan three cords, while the white pine, which stood the highest on thelist, gave a yield of very close to four cords per acre. Whether these 596 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY remarkable figures of productiveness will be maintained we can notsay. We can say, however, that the German foresters are watching thisexperiment with lively interest. No report of German forestry and forests, however brief, could omitto make some mention of the Schwarzwald; one of the most famousforests of southern Germany, commonly known as the Black is a region of enchantment, the recreation ground of Europe, andthe delight of all visitors. Here one comes
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