Technics of Forestry. 391 



The flora of nature gives pleasure to the senses, but added pleasure 

 is evolved by the culture, training, and elaboration of tree or flower 

 growths. Science guides by its unerring laws, the same in all ages 

 and in every clime ; — 



" But after all 'tis human senses mark 

 Equations and analogies of power, 

 And gauge offhand by human instinct's spark 

 An age of learning, tested in an hour." 



Some of the details of forest work are incidentally referred to in my 

 essays on " How to Select a Farm and Manage it." But the follow- 

 ing remarks will be devoted more especially to tools and processes in 

 forestry, and their uses for all descriptions of forest work. 



Foresters work more for a future age than most other workmeu ; 

 with them every stroke is a fact which may divide a century past from 

 a century to come of tree-growth, giving or taking embryo wealth, per- 

 chance taste to adorn a landscape. For these reasons foresters require 

 special training in their craft, which by study and energy they may 

 dignify into a science. 



The slow development of tree-growth prevents great diversity of 

 experiments on single specimens of growth by a single individual, 

 hence the necessity of working mainly on foregone knowledge and 

 collateral experience. How few foresters live to fall the tree they 

 planted, if of large growth ; they can only gather the seed sown by 

 their progenitors ; what they did and said are the text-books for our 

 study as our toil and experience will be for our successors ; hence the 

 necessity for a chartered School of Forestry under first rate supervision. 



The late Earl of Derby was influential in obtaining a charter for 

 a " Fibre Company " some years ago. How much more essential for 

 one on forestry ! I affix the word charter advisedly, as it expresses 

 more fully the aim and scope of the institution which would take 

 charge of State forests, and guide the logical course of tree and timber 

 planting, cultivation and preservation in Great Britain and Ireland 

 and also to a great extent in the colonies. 



A woodward is a working forester, and generally an agricultural 

 labourer, the affix a " ward " at once marks a grade higher than a 

 " hewer," as it implies the duty of care-taking. 



As farm labourers, they rank highest, and are often thatchers, 

 hurdle-makers, and lath-renders as well. Their use of tools of which 

 they are owners, gives them a status above other men who can only offer 

 the use of a pair of willing hands. It may be thought, by those unac- 

 quainted with forest work, that an active, intelligent labourer has only 

 to be shown the use of the rough tools, of which we give illustrations, to 

 be able to use them ; but they cannot ; even with the incentive of the 



