REPORT OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON FORESTRY. 25 
*T think there can be no doubt about it ; it is marvellous that we 
should not at an earlier date have begun to adopt some means to 
preserve them.”—‘“ You would apply that not only to the superior 
officials, but also to the subordinate officers?” ‘Yes, to the 
managers, and to the subordinate officers or woodreeves.” —“ Your 
opinion is, that we are in England very good arboriculturists, but 
not very good sylviculturists?” ‘‘No country in the world has 
such fine specimens of trees in point of arboriculture, but as regards 
sylviculture we are deficient ; the one is what is called jardinage, 
and the other is professional forestry.” —“ In the production of fine 
specimens of trees we stand high?” “We stand higher than any 
other country.” . . . ‘I suppose the selection of species, the 
choice of soils, the situation, the mode of planting, the mode and 
degree in which the thinning should be carried on, and determining 
the time of felling the timber, so as to obtain the best results, are 
questions with regard to which skilled training is of great impor- 
tance?” “All those matters require skilled training, and much 
observation and care.” 
“Ts it the general opinion of those who are conversant with our 
woodlands that the establishment of a forest school would be of 
great advantage to this country?” ‘I think it is universal. The 
Highland and Agricultural Society expressed their very great gratifi- 
cation when they heard that Parliament was taking the matter up, 
and the Scottish Arboricultural Bociety acted in the same way. On 
all hands there is a general feeling of satisfaction in favour of the 
movement.” —‘“ The late Mr Adam (who was so much respected 
in this House), the late Governor of Madras, expressed a very 
strong opinion on the subject before he left this country?” “He 
was President of the Scottish Arboricultural Society, and expressed 
his views a few weeks before he sailed. I have the volume with 
me, if the Committee would like to hear it.”—‘ Would you kindly 
read the paragraph?” “The Right Honourable W. P. Adam, in 
an address delivered in Edinburgh on 7th October 1879, said: ‘I 
regret much that in face of this improvement, which still requires 
extension, we have yet to lament the want of a School of Forestry. 
This portion of our educational system, tending so much to the 
benefit of the State, is undertaken by every nation of any conse- 
quence except our own. I trust this neglect of an important branch 
of our national well-being will not be continued ; and considering 
the importance of the forests of our Indian empire and colonies, we 
shall not always have to send young foresters to be taught their 
