Aspects of European Forestry. 45 



The student at the Forstakademie, therefore, has a delinire rank 

 and title. He is a Forstbeflissener and wears the regular grey- 

 green uniform with green velvet collar but without any epaulets. 

 The epaulet is not his until he becomes a Forstreferendar. At his 

 side in lieu of a sword he carries the "Hirschfanger" — a long 

 sheath knife. 



The "plant" of a Forstakademie is very unostentatious — a simple 

 office building; a larger building with lecture rooms and labora- 

 tories, fitted up more like a high school than like a college, having 

 benches and desks instead of stationary chairs with wooden tab- 

 lets on the right arm ; and a botanical garden. The strictest dis- 

 cipline is maintained — which is emphasized by professors and 

 students wearing uniforms. The utmost courtesy prevails among 

 the students ; to the American used to our rough and tumble col- 

 lege ways it is rather embarrassing to have a whole group of 

 students doff their hats and bow as he approaches. He suspects 

 that he is being chaffed, but the students do it constantly among 

 themselves. When two of them meet on the way to a lecture, 

 each stiffens into a military posture, heels click together, and the 

 hat is swept off with an elaborate bow from the hips. And yet 

 these two men may be the closest of friends ! Handshaking is 

 rare and occurs only after the formal bow has been duly exe- 

 cuted. 



Similarly the Professor — or "Docent" as he is styled — always 

 bows at the beginning and completion of a lecture. He addresses 

 the students as "Meine Herren" — my gentlemen. 



The uniform courtesy is carried rather to an extreme when a 

 crowded reading room in the library is thrown into repeated up- 

 roar of bows and "Guten Morgen," "Guten Tag," "Ich empfehle 

 mich," etc., etc., at each entrance or exit. 



As stated, the discipline is strict. Here are some of the rules : 

 No gambling. No participation in forbidden societies or fra- 

 ternities. No duelling. No parades "with or without music." 

 No "excessive" debts. 



The course at the Forstakademie comprises the following 

 studies divided according to the six semesters (half years) : 



First and Second Semesters : — Mineralogy, Botany, Economics, 

 Chemistry, Zoology, Physics, First Aid to Injured. 



Third and Fourth Semesters. — Economics, Forest Mensura- 



