THE CONDITION OP FORESTRY IN BRITAIN. 183 



Forests. It seems to ine that these would be better under charge 

 of the Board of Agriculture. The woods are of small importance 

 as they are, but they might be so handled as to provide useful 

 instruction. 



On the 26th of February 1902, the late Mr Hanbury appointed 

 a Departmental Committee of Forestry to consider the claims of 

 sylviculture.^ Of the Committee's recommendations, attention 

 may be drawn to the following. Owing to the absence of State 

 woods of a kind which can serve for demonstration, such should be 

 created. With this in view, suitable estates ought to be purchased 

 and converted into well-regulated forests. The purpose of these 

 model forests is threefold : they should serve technically for — (1) 

 showing how woods may best be treated; (2) proving what returns 

 economically managed forest is able to give ; and (3) providing 

 instruction for the working class of foresters. 



In addition to these so-called model forests, "instruction woods" 

 (Lehr-reviere) in connection with the higher forestry institutions, 

 are extremely useful ; but the difficulty of acquiring very lai'ge 

 extents of land has led the Committee to advise that " example 

 plots" only be attached to the colleges. These may partake some- 

 what of the nature of the forest plot at Giessen, but they ought to 

 be larger — 100 to 200 acres, so that the several sections may grow 

 under conditions more closely resembling those met with in the 

 forest. It should be possible to utilise the model forests as 

 " instruction woods," not only for experimental purposes, but by 

 making them accessible to students of forestry. This will best be 

 attained by having one area at least within convenient distance 

 from Edinburgh. It is thought to dispense education as follows : — 



(a) Higher Grade — The Coopers Hill establishment should be 

 attached to one of the Universities of Oxford or Cambridge. 

 Better teaching facilities ought to be given to Edinburgh, and 

 both the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge should have 

 lectureships in Forestry. 



(6) Loiver Grade — in connection with the model forests, after 

 the manner of the German and Austrian forest schools. Those 

 being trained would take part in all kinds of forest work, while 

 the scientific side would be looked after and lectures delivered by 

 the director and his assistant. 



^ Professor Schwappach details the recommendations of the Forestry Com- 

 mittee, but as these have already appeared in Part 1 of Vohime XVII, of 

 the Transactions, this part of the article has been omitted. — Tk, 



