154 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



been, and what the condition of the patient was a fortnight or 

 three weeks before." — " Of course the only reason why a student 

 is not allowed to do the work in an hospital, is that it is not safe 

 for patients to be treated by an unskilled person, but he would 

 learn his profession quicker and better if he did the work him- 

 self ; would it not be better that a young foi'ester should have the 

 opportunity of doing these things himself instead of merely look- 

 ing on 1 " " It might be, but the knowledge might be too dearly 

 purchased. The opinion of all the advanced students of forestry 

 on the Continent is that it is better when studying to study, and 

 when practising to practise, than to attempt to combine study and 

 practice, and so divert the attention of the student." — " Would 

 not the practice be much more likely to sink into the student's 

 mind if it is taken at the same time as the theoretical instruc- 

 tion ? " " He might lose much of the scientific instruction. I 

 prefer the word ' scientific ' to ' theoretical,' because we maintain 

 that it is a positive science and not mere speculation. It is desir- 

 able that the student's whole time should be devoted to his obtain- 

 ing this knowledge." 



The result of the deliberations of the Committee appeared in 

 a Report, dated 4th August 1887, in which they summarise their 

 labours, and arrive at the following conclusion : — 



The Committee recommend the establishment of a Forest 

 Board. They are also satisfied by the evidence that the establish- 

 ment of Forest Schools, or at any rate of a course of instruction 

 and examination in forestry, would be desirable, and they think 

 that the consideration of the best mode of can-ying this into 

 effect might be one of the functions entrusted to such a Forest 

 Board. 



As regards the Board of Forestry, the Committee submit the 

 following suggestions : — 



1. That the Board should be presided over by a responsible 



official (an expert by preference) appointed by the 

 Government, and reporting annually to some depart- 

 ment of the Government. 



2. That the Board should be so constituted as to compi'ise 



the principal agencies interested in the promotion of a 

 sounder knowledge of forestry, especially the various 

 teaching and examining bodies, as well as the pro- 

 fessional societies. 



