The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-07-14
LESSONS FOR VERMONT
In Conduct of Forestry in Black Forest
of Baden.

of Baden.
Probably the most famous forest IN
the world is the Black forest OF southern
Germany, forest with which innumer'
able early legends Of the Teutonic peo'
Piles are connected; and which has now
become the Mecca OF all foresters. be-
cause of the development there of mod
ern forestry to its highest efficiency
This forest region embracing consid-
cradle portion of the two states, Baden
and Wurttennberg should be OF interest
to Vermonters because of the similarity
of natural conditions and the demon
straton of what can be done in our own
state in the way OF developing natural
resources. This is mountainous region
with elevations about the same as those
of our own Green mountains, the high
est in Baden being about 5000 feet. The
general character of the country is also
similar to our own, for it is not an un-
broken forest, as is often supposed but
a region whose mountains are largely
forested, with rich agricultural valleys
between and pleasant villages scattered
about The agricultural and forest in
terests are closely related, the people
working part of the time in the fields
and part in the forest
In the state of Baden which includes
some splendid farm land in the Rhine
valley, 3S per cent of the total area is
forest. The principal trees are fir,
spruce, beech and larch in the mountains,
and pine, oak and ash in the valleys.
During the last 80 years the method OF
management has increased the percent
age of confers by 10 per cent, they hav-
ing proved more profitable than the
hardwoods. In the favorable climate of
these mountains, by wise cutting meth
DDS, complete stand of young FIR and
spruce is secured by natural seeding, SO
comparatively little planting is done.
These forests are considered mature
when they reach an age of from 30 TO
100 years, and are gradually removed
before that age. By a series OF thin .
nings remarkable annual growth OF
four cords per acre have been secured III
some fir forests, and two cords IN beech
forests. A recent study made by the
Vermont experiment station showed that
our hard woods rarely attain growth
of one cord per acre under natural eondi-
lions, although our soil and climate are
equally favorable.
In the government forests OF Baden,
the cut during the past 30 years has
been increased by SO per cent and the
average value Of wood has also increased
at the rate of per cent compound in
terest. The gross returns of the state
forests have doubled in the last 80 years
to $500 per acre, and since the expenses
have not increased proportionately the
net revenue has more than doubled dur
ing the period; and was 1923 per acre in
1907.
All forest property in Baden is under
and with few exceptions
the municipal and corporation forests
are directly managed by the state. Pri-
yate property is only so far under con-
troll as to require permit for clearing.
which is rarely denied, especially when
replanting is contemplated. OF the total
forest area, z per cent is owned by the
state and municipal AZ per
cent by corporations II per cent by
large and 25 per cent by small private
holders. The state forests amount to
240,l45 acres.
Two American species are being extern
sively planted in the Black forest, our
New England white pine and the Wash
ington red fir. or Oregon pine, as it ~
sometimes called. Both OF these grow
very rapidly in the German climate.
Like Vermont, the Black forest region
is very beautiful, and is favorite vaca-
ton ground for thousands Of Europeans.
Americans might do well to spend time
among these green hills, as well as in
the grander scenery Of the Alps. Spleen
did highways throughout the forests,
built for the removal of timber, are ex-
,ellent for automobiles and the system
Of graded trails makes tramping ma
tional recreation. There is perhaps no
country which can better serve as an
example for Vermont in its development
of natural resources than Baden.