COMMENT. 



We revert once more to the educational situation in the State 

 of New York, in order to correct impressions which may have 

 been produced by an incomplete statement of facts under Com- 

 ment in the last two issues of the QUARTERLY. 



A friend calls our attention to the manner in which Cornell 

 University revived instruction in forestry. In 1903, Cornell 

 abandoned the New York State College of Forestry, as a matter 

 of political expediency. Not until Syracuse University had se- 

 cured the passage through the Legislature, in the session 1909-10, 

 of a bill to re-establish the College at Syracuse, did Cornell con- 

 sider the propriety of again taking up education in forestry. The 

 bill for establishing a College in Syracuse was vetoed by Governor 

 Hughes, but re-enacted by the next Legislature and signed by 

 Governor Dix. Meanwhile, Cornell had instituted a course in 

 farm forestry (see circular, August, 191 1) in the College of Agri- 

 culture, as a part of a farmer's, not a professional forester's 

 education, and supported from the general funds appropriated 

 by the State for Agriculture. It would also appear from our cor- 

 respondent's account that the $100,000 for Cornell was not ap- 

 propriated specifically for a "Forestry building," but as one of 

 the "second section of Plant Industries Group buildings," which 

 formed part of the extension plans for the College of Agricul- 

 ture. To name it Forestry building, according to our correspon- 

 dent, appears to have been an afterthought, after the College at 

 Syracuse was inaugurated. The addition of a professional course 

 at Cornell seems also to have been an afterthought. 



On the other hand, we find from various reports issued from 

 Cornell L^niversity, that the plan to revive forestry education at 

 Cornell was discussed by the Director of the College of Agricul- 

 ture in 1906 and in 1907; in the latter year the establishment of 

 a forestr}' department, which should include the training of 

 professional foresters, was also foreshadowed. In 1908 and 

 1909, these recommendations were reiterated. From this it would 

 appear that the establishment of a professional course was not 

 an afterthought. The professorship at Cornell was, to be sure, 

 not established bv the Board of Trustees until the summer of 



