28 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARUORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



under the Minister of Agriculture, as it should be; for he is 

 charged witli the control of both the forests and the mines. The 

 subjects common to both branches are taught rather from the 

 miners' than the foresters' point of view, to the prejudice of their 

 application by the forest students to their profession. The Forest 

 Department hopes that these drawbacks will be considered by the 

 Government, and the school reorganised on a new basis. 



There is a magnificent library, and a museum containing splendid 

 collections of various kinds, such as minerals, rocks, botanical and 

 entomological specimens, samples of raw and manufactured produce, 

 with models of forest engineering works, kilns, tools, apparatus for 

 felling and converting timber ; a collection to illustrate the diseases 

 of trees, especially those caused by fungi of various kinds ; sections 

 of wood, and many other things. Some forests near the school 

 are placed under the control of the Director for purposes of in- 

 struction, and the students make annually one or two forest tours 

 with their professors. 



There is a second school, with about 50 students, at Koros in 

 Slavonia, but it is not in a satisfactory state, and is about to be 

 reorganised. 



Mention has previously been made of the State Forest Examina- 

 tion, which, in addition to that of the academy, must be passed by 

 all candidates for the superior service before they can be appointed. 

 The committee under which this examination is conducted is 

 composed of twenty members, nominated every six years by the 

 National Forestry Society, from among State or other forest 

 officers, but appointed by the Minister of Agriculture. The presi- 

 dent, who has the right to select annually from among the members 

 of the committee three commissioners to actually undertake the 

 examinations, is the Director-General of Forests, The candidates, 

 who pay an entrance-fee of £2 each, are examined in the following 

 subjects, viz. : — Sylviculture, working of forests, valuation surveys 

 and working plans, construction of machines and buildings, forest 

 protection, control of hunting and shooting, organisation of the 

 forest service, functions of the various grades of officials, forest law, 

 and the commutation of rights ; they are also required to show 

 themselves capable of taking independent charge of a forest estate. 

 On passing this examination, they receive a diploma. Of the 210 

 candidates who were examined during the five years from 1880 to 

 1884, IGO passed, and 50 were rejected. Every year one of the 

 most promising among the young forest officers who has passed 



