REPORT OF THE DEPARTMENTAL COMMITTEE ON FORESTRY. I 29 



The Scotch Education Department and the Development 

 Commissioners recognise the need of a forest-garden for each 

 teaching centre.^ For the ordinary purposes of a forest-garden 

 an area of 50 acres is sufficient, but we suggest that, under the 

 circumstances, the forest-gardens might be expanded so as to 

 demonstrate, under forest conditions though not on a commercial 

 scale, the best methods of growing the species suited to the 

 districts in which they lie. We consider that 300 acres, within 

 •easy reach of each centre, would be sufficient. 



Each area would be under the direction of the local lecturer, 

 but the director of the Demonstration Forest and his staff would 

 have free access for instruction and research. 



Part II. Education. 



In attempting to define the functions of a Demonstration 

 Forest, we have found it necessary to review the whole subject 

 ■of forest education. It may be convenient if, in this portion of 

 the report, we include the reasoning on which our recommenda- 

 tions are based. 



10. 2\vo Grades of Foresters.— Y ox the sake of clearness, we 

 may begin by pointing out that two classes of foresters are 

 required— forest-officers and working foresters. The distinction 

 is analogous to that between officers and non-commissioned 

 officers in the army. 



There should be no insuperable barrier between the two 

 grades, but the training and duties are so different that a 

 working forester can only in exceptional cases, by passing through 

 the higher course of study, be expected to become a forest-officer. 



The working forester must be skilled in all the operations of 

 planting, felling and nursery work; he must understand enough 

 of the principles of silviculture to be able to carry out his 

 instructions intelligently ; he must be trained to recognise insect 

 and fungus enemies, and to observe anything amiss in patrolling 

 his beat. This is work which any intelligent and hard-working 

 man can be trained to do. 



The forest-officer must be a man of wide education, with an 

 intimate knowlege of the country in which he operates. He will 

 be at a great disadvantage if he does not know German, and a 

 knowledge of French is desirable. He must be thoroughly 



^ See First Report of the Development Coiniiussiouers, pages 23 and 24. 



