Die Bäume und Sträucher des Waldes in Botanischer und Forstwirtschaftlicher Beziehung

Published in Vienna, Austria over three years between 1889 and 1992, Die Bäume und Sträucher des Waldes (“The Trees and Shrubs of the Forest”) is a beautiful and extensive exploration of European trees, but we’ve been able to find surprisingly little about its creators beyond that Gustav Hempel and Karl Wilhelm were both professors—of forestry and forest natural history respectively—at universities specializing in teaching natural resource management.

Forestry itself developed as a formal profession and field of study in 19th century Europe, particularly in Germany. It’s fair to say that Die Bäume und Sträucher des Waldes reflects the growing importance and popularity of the forestry field, with general information of tree biology, physiology, and horticultural care provided in the first of its three volumes, followed by an inventory of trees organized into three main categories—softwood pine trees, flowering trees and other hardwoods.

As a general introduction to the botany and care of trees, with beautifully chromolithographed colored plates drawn by the talented illustrator W. Leipoldt, and bound in gorgeously decorative covers, the work was likely intended to have general appeal as an elegant addition to well-stocked libraries in middle class homes.