A Brief History of Forestry.: In Europe, the United States and Other CountriesFernow, B. E. (Bernhard Eduard)
History
A Brief History of Forestry.: In Europe, the United States and Other Countries
Fernow, B. E. (Bernhard Eduard)
Forests and forestry -- History
Practically the entire wood supply is imported, and the rate of
importation is rapidly increasing. While in 1864 it was 3.4 million
tons, in 1892, 7.8 million tons worth 92 million dollars; in 1899, 10
million tons and 125 million dollars; in 1902, it had grown to 138
million dollars, and in 1906 to 141 million (700 million cubic feet) in
which $7.4 million of wood manufactures, against which an export of $19
million mainly wood manufactures, must be offset. This makes England
the largest wood importer in the world, Germany coming next, and the
amount paid to other countries exceeds the value of her pig iron output.
Nearly 90 per cent. of the import is coniferous material, from Sweden,
Russia and Canada. The home product, mostly oak ties, mineprops, etc.,
satisfies about one-sixth of the consumption. In addition to timber and
lumber, over 10 million dollars of wood pulp, and 60 million dollars of
by-products are imported. The total wood consumption per capita is
between 12 and 14 cubic feet, half of what it was 50 years ago.
* * * * *
Pine is the only native conifer of timber value, and oak is the most
important native deciduous tree, found mostly in coppice or in old,
overmature, straggling pasture woods. Compact larger forest areas are
entirely absent, but there are many small plantations and parks. For,
while Englishmen have not been foresters, they have been active
treeplanters, and the mild climate has permitted the introduction of
many exotics, especially American conifers. Most of these plantings have
been for park and game purposes. The most noted forest plantations are
found in Scotland, among them the larch plantations of the Duke of
Athole (begun in 1728), of at one time over 10,000 acres, the ducal
woodlands now covering over 20,000 acres; the pinery of 25,000 acres,
belonging to the Countess of Sealfield, the best managed forest
property, partly in natural regeneration, and others. But these
plantations too are mostly widely spaced and trimmed, hence not
producing timber of much value, so that timber of British production is
usually ruled out by architects.
2. _Development of Forest Policies._
The Saxons and Normans were primarily hunters, and this propensity to
the chase has impressed itself upon their forest treatment into modern
times.
The Teutonic Saxons undoubtedly brought with them the feudal and
communal institutions of the Germans, under which territory for the
king’s special pleasure in the chase was set aside as ‘forest’, and this
exclusive right and privilege was on other territory extended to the
vassals, while the commoners were excluded from the exercise of hunting
privileges on these grounds.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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