612 A NATIONAL SCHOOL OF FORESTRY. [Feb. 



Mines and Practical Geology in Loudon and the Eoyal College of 

 Science in Dublin, which admit of expansion and curtailment and 

 changes being made more easily than could be done with a Professor- 

 ship in the University. 



In the Normal School of Science and Eoyal School of Mines and 

 Practical Geology in London under the Science and Art Department 

 of the Committee of Council on Education, instruction was given in 

 the winter session 1883-84, the latest of which I have a report, 

 in chemistry, physics, mechanics, etc., mathematics, geology and 

 mineralogy, biology, botany, metallurgy, mining, agriculture, and 

 astronomy. In the summer course of 1884 instruction was given 

 to students in chemistry, mechanics, including mechanical drawing, 

 heat, metallurgy, hygiene, and agriculture ; and lectures were given 

 to working men in mineralogy, mechanics, and chemistry. 



In the Eoyal College of Science in Dublin under the Science and 

 Art Department of the Committee of Council on Education, instruc- 

 tion was given in the same session, 1883-84, to students of the 

 first year in pure mathematics, elementary mechanics, descriptive 

 geometry, with lessons in geometrical drawing, theoretical chemistry, 

 and experimental physics. To students of the second year instruc- 

 tion was given in pure mathematics, general mechanics, mechanical 

 drawing, practical physics, practical chemistry, biology, and 

 mineralogy. To students of the third year instruction was given in 

 mechanism and thermo-dynamics, applied mechanics and hydro- 

 dynamics, engineering, drawing, surveying, geology, palaeontology, 

 mining, metallurgy, applied chemistry, assaying and analytical 

 chemistry ; and there were special courses of instruction given in 

 botany and practical botany, and in zoology and practical zoology. 



The total number of individuals who attended the stated lectures 

 was eighty, of whom twenty-nine were associates, students prose- 

 cuting the whole three years' course with a view of obtaining the 

 diploma of associate. The corresponding numbers in the preceding 

 year were fifty-nine and twenty-one respectively. 



While England and Ireland have such institutions under the 

 Science and Art Department of the Committee of Council on 

 Education, Scotland has none. But it has under that department 

 of the Government exceptional facilities for the organization of a 

 School of Eorestry on the lines I have suggested. In the Museum 

 of Science and Art, which is under their direction, there is a 

 valuable collection of forest products, enriched by a contribution of 

 well-nigh 3000 articles obtained from the Forestry Exhibition, and 

 likely to be also enriched with those placed at the disposal of the 

 committee appointed by the Conference held at the close of that 

 Exhibition, making it probably the most comprehensive and 



