REPORT OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON FORESTRY. 151 



forestry schools with which you are acquainted would you consider 

 the best model for one in Great Britain 1 " — " The question was 

 ]iut to me last year, and on the spur of the moment I answered 

 ' Spain ; ' and continued consideration of the subject satisfies me that 

 Spain is decidedly the best model for a school."—" Is the school in 

 Spain an independent school of forestry ? " " It is an independent 

 school of forestry, supported by the State, at the Escurial." — " Not 

 connected with agriculture ? " " Not connected with agriculture." 



" What does the staff consist of ? " " In round numbers I should 

 say a principal, ten professors, and ten assistants." — "Of what 

 class of men are the students principally ? " " They are equal to 

 those who go to the university. They have gone through a pre- 

 liminary training in the schools, which would have fitted them for a 

 university course if they had chosen to go there." — "And do they 

 go out afterwards as forest managers 1 " " They can at once have 

 an appointment by the Government, or they may be employed by 

 private proprietors. They prefer the Government appointments." 

 — " Have you any idea of what the expense of the course of instruc- 

 tion there is 1 " " There is this difficulty in taking the cost of 

 instruction at the schools on the Continent, that in many cases the 

 school-house which may be a palace is given free. In almost all 

 cases the teachers hold Government appointments as foresters, and 

 have a gratuity in addition to their regular pay ; in Spain the 

 addition runs from 60 to 100 guineas over and above their pay. 

 It is only the superior officers of the forest engineers who get the 

 higher appointments. It is not in that respect, however, that I re- 

 commend Spain as a model; it is more the perfect freedom and 

 liberal course of study that is followed there that I recommend it 

 for." 



" Are there forests in the immediate neighbourhood of the school 

 in Spain?" "There are in the Guadarrama ; but they do not 

 attach great importance to having forests in the immediate neigh- 

 bourhood of the school. In common with all the advanced foresters 

 on the Continent, they say that is a matter of very little importance. 

 They take the students to the forests that they may see what is 

 being done, and that there the professors may explain what has 

 been said in the lectures, illustrating this by what the students see 

 going on in the woods." — " Have they any nursery 1 " " They have 

 a small nursery, but the different students are not required to 

 engage in nursery .operations ; the nursery is very limited." — 

 "Have they a museum?" "They have a museum." — "Where 



