144 TRANSACTIONS OK ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



" You think they should attend the lectures of the agricultural 

 professor and also lectures in chemistry ? " " And botany and 

 natural history." — " What rate of fees would they pay, say for a 

 course uf lectures on agriculture 1 " " Tliat I am not able to say." 

 — "Three guineas a course 1" "I do not know how much it is ; 

 it is not much. It cannot be much from the very poor class who 

 sometimes attend." — "Probably it would be about three guineas a 

 course 1 " " Probably." — " You think that would be preferable to 

 starting schools of forestry 1 " " Much preferable." 



On the general question of Forest Schools, Sir Joseph Dalton 

 Hooker, ex-Director of the Royal Gardens, Kew, gave some valu- 

 able evidence as follows : — 



" Have you formed any opinion which you would communicate 

 to the Committee as to the present condition of woodlands in this 

 country?" " I have observed that they are very much neglected, 

 but then it must be remembered that it is very difficult to judge 

 between what are planted as mere shelter and what are planted for 

 woodland purposes. As a rule, those which are planted chiefly for 

 shelter are entirely neglected, and are not looked upon as a source 

 of profit ; whereas woodland and copse woods, if grown for profit, 

 are in quite a different position." 



" Do you consider that the establishment of a school of forestry 

 in some form or other would be advantageous to the owners of 

 woodlands in this country 1" "I think that an establishment 

 teaching forestry would be exceedingly useful, but I am not pre- 

 pared to say that I should advocate the establishment at once of a 

 school of forestry proper in addition to that at Cooper's Hill." — 

 " Would you favour the Committee with your views as to what 

 would be the best mode of developing the teaching of forestry 1 " 

 " I can hardly say that I have considered the matter, except with 

 reference to India and the Colonies, which I have been consulted 

 about ; but my impression is that the best plan would be to take 

 advantage of the existing institutions as far as possible. At 

 Cooper's Hill there is an amount of first-class teaching of forestry 

 for certain purposes, and it is a great pity that that first-class 

 teaching should not be utilised as far as it goes more for general 

 purposes. Nor do I see why the agricultural colleges should not be 

 taken advantage of. It is a great pity that the teaching of 

 agriculture and sylviculture should be entirely dissociated." — " You 

 would rather introduce the study of forestry at the existing 



