1884.] INSTIWCTION IN FOUEtiTUY. 203 



fellow-subjects abroad in excessively hot climates, and inordinjitely 

 long periods of drought, followed by destructive floods. I think you 

 now understand in a general way wliat forestry means and wliy it is 

 wanted. 



\^\^t you will say, as practical people, that I was to have explained 

 about instruction in forestry. I had, liowever, to explain what 

 forestry is before I could explain instruction in it. You may ask, 

 * What do we want such instruction for ? ' In general terms, we 

 want it for the sake of our domestic progress, as a nation or as an 

 empire. We ought to have a school of foresters who will carry the 

 scientific principles of forestry abroad to those wide regions where 

 England has either direct political sway, or indirect national influence. 

 After carefully going over the subject with the best foresters in 

 Scotland, I have divided the instruction in forestry into ten heads. 

 I shall only mention to you these ten heads ; they are all strictly 

 practical. The first is the method of preparing the land for forests ; 

 the second, the art of planting and transplanting ; the third, the art 

 of thinning and pruning, which represents the drawing of interest 

 from capital, as I have said ; fourth, the utilising of limljs and 

 branches — the using of dead branches and linils of trees for crate 

 wood; fifth, felling ; sixth, barking. This sixth head is a matter of 

 great importance. Hundreds of thousands of tons of bark are 

 wasted, and are likely to be wasted ; whereas, by judicious forestry 

 they are converted into a valuable commodity. Seventh, the leaving 

 of standards for reproduction. Under that technical expression 

 is comprised a most important operation. While there must be 

 felling and cutting in the forests, we should not act as ' dogs in the 

 manger,' We do not wish to prevent felling and cutting for the 

 supply of markets and for the use of man. But it should be 

 judicious. You cut a certain number of trees according as you want 

 them. You cut one and leave another. You cut two or three and 

 leave two or three, and those you leave are called standards — 

 standards for reproduction. The seeds are scattered upon a soil 

 which is chemically suited for the reproduction of that particular 

 species. They fall upon congenial soil and up spring the new 

 trees. We must learn how to leave standards for reproduction. The 

 eighth is gathering produce. We are aware that all forests have 

 a quantity of fruit — cones, nuts, and seeds — especially Pine forests, 

 which are most valuable as articles of commerce in the manufactures 

 of the world. Ninth, sawing and manufacturing of timber. Tenth 

 and last, rearing and propagating in nurseries all young trees of 

 established varieties, or else the introduction and acclimatisation of 

 new varieties. Instruction in forestry should consist, I think, of 

 these ten departments. 



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