150 Forestry Quarterly. 



what with the locality and nature of the school and the region 

 furnishing the men. But one small matter concerning the pre- 

 sentation of studies ought to be noticed, i. e. Practicability. To 

 keep up interest and to work at the highest efficiency, the stu- 

 dents, and particularly the older ones, must see how they can put 

 in practice their newly acquired knowledge. It should be em- 

 phasized by many and familiar examples that the foundations of 

 American Forestry are broad and enduring, but that the practical 

 application is real and possible, that Silviculture is not merely a 

 theory, but a reality that can be undertaken on each Forest and in 

 many ways, from cleaning up an old burn to the proper adminis- 

 tration of a large timber sale. Show, for illustration, that sound 

 elements of wood preservation may be called forth as certainly in 

 the construction of a mountain telephone line, as in more com- 

 plicated work. 



Ranger Instruction is bound to play an important part in Na- 

 tional Forest administration, as the quickest method of training 

 men to new and varied duties. If the Forest Service can cooper- 

 ate with one institution in each of the Six Districts, and assign 

 or furlough instructors, and financially encourage the best 

 rangers to attend, then the institution may profitably take up the 

 systematic development of a ranger course, possibly planning for 

 two winters of progressive work for the more competent, and 

 the first great stride in establishing an American counterpart of 

 the Old World Academy will have been taken. 



