AMKKICAN R)KI:ST1:kS in Tin: TKOl'lCS 1G3 



problems connected witli their destruction and exploitation differ from 

 our own, and the degree to which forestry can be practiced. 



Une of the great difficulties of studying a tropical forest for the first 

 time is its great complexity, l-'or this reason better acquaintance with 

 systematic botany than is obtained in most forestry schools is very 

 helpful. ( )ne does not need to be a systematic botanist, but he does 

 need a keen and thorough course in learning to distinguish one tree 

 frt)m another. A good course in systematic botany coupled with one 

 in field dendrology ought to give such training. Armed with this and 

 with some knowledge of collecting and drying botanical specimens and 

 collecting wood specimens, he can with the aid of systematic botanists 

 and wood technologists gain the essentials concerning the composition 

 of the forest. It is surprising how c|uickly a working knowledge of 

 the composition of a given tropical forest can be obtained by patient 

 and persistent effort. 1 have had foresters working with me who 

 claimed that it was an impossible task, yet with one, or at the most, 

 two weeks, they have become sufficiently acquainted with the trees so 

 that they could work independently. With this knowledge their atti- 

 tude toward the work changed from one of listlessly depending on 

 the native woodmen for the name, to one of keen delight in discovering 

 that they had obtained information that would enable them to check 

 the native helpers. Before this they literally could not "see the forest 

 because of the trees" and became discouraged. 



Coupled with the difficulty of knowing the trees is the one of recog- 

 nizing the many woods found on the market. A good course in the 

 identification of American woods gives one a fairly good background 

 for extending this work to tropical woods. Special courses are offered 

 at Yale on tropical woods that are designed to make one more efficient 

 in this line of work. Special courses in other phases of tropical forestry 

 are given to meet the needs of the student wdio contemplates practicing 

 his profession in a particular section of the tropics. It is believed that 

 the instruction given in the various lines of tropical forestry, while 

 they do not entirely take the place of actual experience, yet they will 

 help one to adjust himself more easily and quickly if he contemplates 

 doing work in his chosen profession in tropical countries. 



With regard to the general courses in forest management, in silvi- 

 cuhure. and in lumbering, it can be stated that the better foundations 

 one has in these subjects the better he is equipped to apply this knowl- 

 edge to tropical countries. 



