REPORT OF THE DEPARTMENTAL COMMITTEE ON FORESTRY. 135 



should be fixed mainly with reference to Aberdeen, 

 though it would still be desirable that the forest should be, as 

 far as possible, accessible from all parts of Scotland. It is, 

 however, one thing to frame a scheme de novo and quite another 

 to remodel existing institutions. If it is thought that matters 

 have now advanced too far for a settlement of the question on 

 the principle suggested above to be any longer practicable, we 

 feel bound to point out that this condition of things is the 

 natural result of the delay of successive Governments to adopt 

 any settled policy with regard to forestry. ^ 



15. Utilisation of the Demonstration Forest by the Teaching 

 Centres. — The lecturer from each teaching centre (whether they 

 be one or more) should bring his own students to the forest for a 

 month or six weeks every year and there instruct them himself 

 in practical silviculture. 1 he visiting lecturer should have no 

 right to interfere in any way in the management of the forest, but 

 he should be entitled, after consultation with the director, to show 

 his class any part of it, to take measurements and observations, 

 to watch all the forest operations, and receive any information 

 which the director and his staff can supply from their records. 

 The only objection which might be urged against this arrangement 

 is the danger of friction between the forest staff and the visiting 

 lecturers. We believe that this objection can be met by a little 

 care and forethought. We suggest that the lecturers and classes 

 should visit the forest in succession, and that a programme 

 putting the forest hostel (see 6) at the disposal of each for so 

 many weeks should be submitted by the director to the 

 Department of Forestry or Demonstration Forest Board, and 

 approved by it after consultation with the teaching centres. 



1 6. Post-graduate Students. — A three years' course of study in 

 science and forestry, supplemented by demonstration and 



^ Cf. Report of the Scottish Universities Committee, 1909, Section 9 



(referring to the technical instruction provided at "Central Institutions") 



" It must be borne in mind that commercial and industrial and even political 

 considerations must often enter into the question of the best means for the 

 effective development of this class of subject. For instance, we have some 

 doubt whether the argument of Sir W. Turner for the establishment of a 

 complete forestry school under the control of the University of Edinburgh, 

 in spite of certain advantages powerfully stated by him, warrants at this 

 moment a claim for support from public funds. It seems desirable that the 

 manner in which the State will deal with the wider aspects of this important 

 question should first be more definitely discussed and determined." 



