THE SCIENCES UNDERLYING FORESTRY.* 



By B. E. Fernow. 



In connection with the preceding article by Professor Baker, 

 the following thoughts on the relative importance of the Sciences 

 underlying forestry, formulated for a different occasion, may not 

 come amiss. 



The writer agrees most fully with the tripartite subdivision of 

 foresters which Professor Baker makes, namely, into lower grade 

 local executives, higher grade local managers, and highest grade 

 leaders, and that according to the needs of these three classes 

 schools or curricula ought to be devised. 



It is still open to question in my mind, whether an under- 

 graduate course cannot be devised and conducted that shall at 

 least satisfy the second class. My experience at Cornell Uni- 

 versity would lead me to believe that a sufficient basis can be laid 

 by such a course to enable the later development in the practice of 

 first class managers ; and even leaders may develop out of those 

 graduates, who, endowed with native ability and through pri- 

 vate study, develop superior judgment. After all, the personality 

 of the man, and the personality of the teacher have more to do 

 with the result than the course. 



The undergraduate four-year course, as outlined by Professor 

 Baker, very closely resembles the one laid out by the writer for 

 the first professional forest school at Cornell University, and 

 again revived in the University of Toronto. 



To meet the requirement of a better educated class of foresters, 

 and yet to maintain the idea of an undergraduate course, a course 

 has been devised at the University of Toronto for those that can 

 afford it, which, lasting through six years, leads to both the Arts 

 degree and the undergraduate Forestry degree at the end of the 

 six years. 



The idea underlying this arrangement is the early introduction 

 into the professional subject and a longer occupation with it, and 

 thereby a longer time for digestion of the same, while the added 

 humanistic or cultural courses will help to broaden the mind in 

 both cultural and professional direction. This, we think, is prefer- 



*Read in part, before the Sigma Xi Society. 



