8 The yoiirnal of Forestry. 



Indian forests than it lias done, or is ever likely to do, for forestry a 

 home. And why, we may ask, cannot men be found in this --ntry 

 properly (jualified ? Simply because no special effort has been mau. ^r 

 provided in any way by which eligible young men can be tauglit the 

 necessary duties and acquirements to fit them for such highly important 

 appointments. " Charity begins at home," if it should not end there, but 

 our wise authorities reverse the maxim, and expend a lot of money send- 

 ing candidates for Indian forest appointments to foreign countries to 

 learn what could be better and more profitably taught at home, if 

 we only possessed such fully equipped institutions for the teaching of 

 the science and practice of arboriculture as some third-rate German 

 states are in possession of; to say nothing of the complete and 

 elaborate Schools of Forestry belonging to the Governments of France 

 at Nancy, Italy at Vallombrosa, and other first-rate establishments in 

 almost every State in Europe. 



We are already in this country in possession of the highest scientific 

 and practical knowledge upon the subject, and it only requires to be 

 properl}' organized and utilized to produce .the most complete and 

 efficient School of Forestry in existence. This being a national 

 want, — in fact, a Avorld-wide want — and of the highesb importance 

 to our national welfare, it becomes the duty of the Government to see 

 that such an institution is established, and kept in a thoroughly 

 efficient state. To do so will require an amount of means which the 

 country will not grudge, any more than it does the large amount of 

 public assistance given to 'all branches of education of national 

 importance at the present day. 



We are supported in the views we have expressed of the great 

 necessity there is for immediately establisliing a School of Forestry 

 in Eritain, by the concnrring opinions of all wlio take an interest in 

 the subject and miderstand its importance ; amongst which we may 

 mention the thoroughly-matured and experienced opinion of such 

 eminent authorities as Dr. Hooker, Director of the Iioyal Gardens, 

 Kew; and Dr. J. H. Balfour, Eegius Professor of Botany in the 

 University of Edinburgh, and ex-President of the Scottish Arbori- 

 cultural Society. 



The cpiestion as to where a Forest School onglit to be first esta- 

 blished in Great Britain is a subject of which the details may be left to 

 future consideration, but the peculiar suitability and advantages 

 which Edinburgh possesses for the establishment of sucli an institution 

 has attracted much attention from those best qualified to judge, and 

 we will revert to this subject at another time, when the negotiations 

 now in progress for the formation of an arboretum at Inverleith, near 

 Edinburgh, are completed. Meanwhile we would direct the attention 

 of our readers to a pamphlet, quite recently published, by Dr. J. C. 



