568 The yoiLvnal of Fo7'estry. 



such a curriculum which was not requisite for the mauagemeut of British 

 woods and colonial forests. On this point he had no desire to raise 

 a controversy at this stage. 



The position which he took up was this ; the Government of almost every 

 country on the continent of Europe had deemed it expedient to make 

 provision for the instruction of officers in every department of forestry, and 

 the British Government of India had deemed it expedient to do the 

 same, and so far as existing arrangements permitted they had found their 

 advantage in the result. In some countries the schools of forestry were 

 distinct and separate institutions, in others they were connected with other 

 educational arrangements, which in some were utilized, and, so to speak, 

 made subservient to the education and instruction of the students of forest 

 science. The advantages of the combinations were that many subjects 

 might be studied by students of different faculties together, as was done in 

 the arts classes of our Scottish universities, by students contemplating the 

 study of theology, medicine, andlaw, and one staff of instructors then sufficed 

 for the whole, with only special instructors for special subjects of study 

 pertaining to the different professional departments. There were many 

 advantages connected with the location of a school of forestry in the 

 vicinity of a forest, in which from time to time illustrations of what was 

 advanced in the class-room might be found. But this was not indispen- 

 sable to the successful teaching of forestry. It might be said that one-half 

 of the schools of forestry were not so situated, the students having to be 

 taken to a distance to study practical forestry. He concluded by urging 

 the institution of a school of forestry in Great Britain, and especially 

 suggested that that school should be located at Edinburgh in connection 

 with the new Arboretum, and mth the forests of the Highlands. 



Professor Balfour proposed a vote of thanks to Dr. Brown for his paper, 

 and in doing so expressed his approval of the establishment of a School of 

 Forestry in Edinburgh, and hoped soon to see it realized, although of 

 the opinion that to learn forestry thoroughly and practically a man must 

 go to the forests. 



Dr. Cleghorn also spoke in favour of a school being established for the 

 wants of this country. For practical purposes a large tract of forest was 

 required. 



The Preparation of Charcoal. 



Mr. Robert Baxter, forester, Dalkeith Park, read a paper on " "Woods 

 for Making different kinds of Charcoal, and the Modes of Preparing it." 

 A very useful charcoal, he said, could be produced from almost every kind of 

 wood that grew, although he could not speak decidedly about the poplar, 

 which, owing, to its scarcity had never been tested. The Wych elm, 

 Spanish chestnut, and lime-tree they did not regard with much favour, 

 owing to their peculiar bark, which offered great resistance to the char- 

 ring process. Beech, sycamore, ash, thorn, oak, hornbeam, birch, alder, 

 and laurel could all be used with perfect success as charcoal producers. 



