842 The yoitrnal of Forestry. 



favour of the former arrangement, after sitting from eight o'clock in 

 the morning till half-past two o'clock in the afternoon, with only an 

 hour's intermission. 



All the arguments advanced irro and con. in regard to the advantages 

 and the disadvantages of foresters being educated at a university or 

 at- a separate special school, speak of a very different state of things 

 from what prevails in Britain ; but the question may be considered 

 more dispassionately when looked at apart from any personal views or 

 interests held by the reader. 



There has lately been issued the Report of a Eoyal Commission on 

 the Scottish Universities, the discussion of which seems to me to 

 present a good opportunity for proposing that, with the changes 

 suggested by the Commissioners, provision should be made for the 

 study of Forest Science in some one or other of these universities. 

 The coincidence of the printing of this paper in the same month with 

 the publication of that Report was altogether undesigned. 



I have seen no reason to recede from anything I have advanced in 

 the Plea for the creation of a school of forestry in connection with the 

 Arboretum at Edinburgh.* This much I consider it proper to state. 

 But beyond this I have no desire to argue the matter at present, and I 

 consider I am equally serving friend and foe to such an arrange- 

 ment by supplying such information as is embodied in this paper to 

 those who might not otherwise have access to it. 



* Reviewed in Journal of Forestry, Vol. I., No. 1, pp. 48 — 56, 



THE ORIGINAL RIBSTON PIPPIN APPLE TREE. 



The following account was furnished in 1818 by Sir Henry Goodricke, 

 Bart., of Eibston, near Wetherby (the owner of the tree), to Frederick 

 Lumley, Esq. 



Traditionary accounts, he observes, are all which we have to guide us 

 in the history of this tree. It is said that some pips were brought from 

 Rouen about 130 years ago ; that they were sown at Eibston ; that five of 

 the pips 'grew, two of them proving crabs and the other three apples, which 

 were all planted out at Ribston. Two of the apple trees are now growing 

 and produce fruit, one of them the celebrated Eibston Pippin, which was 

 blown down about the year 1810. The bark having been previously 

 injured by cattle, the tree had decayed, so that the wind fractured the 

 stem about seven feet from the ground, the head and branches hanging by 

 that part of the bark which remained sound. In this position it yet 

 remains, sending out fresh and vigorous shoots in new directions. It yet 

 bears fruit, but in decreased quantity, size, and flavour. For several years 

 it had not at any time produced a peck of apples. The year before it was 

 blown down it produced between three and four bushels, and when in its 

 prime which is within the memory of many persons now living (1818), it 

 was reputed a good bearer. a 



