THE ROYAL ITALIAN FORKSTRY COLLEGE 809 



while those who receive the degree of forest marshal are given 2,400 

 lire, or about $480, per annum. While at Vallombrosa the students 

 receive 2 lire, or about 40 cents, extra per day for subsistence. 



The Italian Forest Service, the official name of which is "Corpo Reale 

 delle Foreste," and which is also referred to in official documents as 

 "Servizio Forestale dello Stato," had an annual appropriation prior to 

 1910 of only 600,000 francs, or the equivalent of about $120,000. From 

 that year and until Italy's entrance into the war, on May 23, 191 5, it 

 had an annual appropriation of 5,000,000 lire, or about $1,000,000, 

 which compares very favorably with government appropriations, ac- 

 cording to areas and personnel, in any of the countries actively engaged 

 in a definite forestry policy. From the above appropriation the funds 

 made available for the Royal Forestry College amounted to 200,000 

 lire, or about $40,000, since its permanent establishment in Florence, 

 in 1913. This compares very favorably with the financial support avail- 

 able for professional schools in this country. During the war full ap- 

 propriations were continued for this school, whereas those for the 

 ranger schools were eliminated. Neither the ranger schools nor the 

 professional school at Florence had any students during the war, as 

 every one was in the army. Many of the faculty of both the ranger 

 schools and the forestry college were in active service at the front and 

 the casualty lists have included several of the best-known Italian 

 foresters. 



The Royal Italian Forestry College, according to the law of July 14, 

 191 2, and the amendment of February 6, 191 3, has two essential func- 

 tions, one being didactic and the other study and experimentation. The 

 former, according to the law, provides a two-year graduate course in 

 professional forestry for graduates of recognized engineering and agri- 

 cultural schools. It also confers diplomas of professional efficiency 

 upon those who have attained particular proficiency in the technical 

 work of the State administration, and admits as auditors those who 

 wish to acquire a greater knowledge in one or more branches of for- 

 estry. The students in the regular course are officially a part of the 

 royal corps of foresters and are only admitted to this school as such. 



Students are admitted to the school on the basis of competitive ex- 

 aminations, and are given the title of adjutant assistant inspector of 

 forestry in the Royal Forestry Corps on successful completion of this 

 competitive examination. The number of these students is determined 

 annually by the school board, and in the past they have included from 

 30 to 50 in each class. The students of the school receive a yearly 

 stipend of 2.500 lire, or about $500, for maintenance expenses. 



