210 THE NEW FORESTRY. 



order to understand how an oak or a fir tree ought to be 

 grown. Provided the physiological and other conditions are 

 understood, and a few examples can be found, that can be 

 demonstrated anywhere. 



^ In order to teach foresters their duties quickly and cheaply 

 a " school station " on a well-wooded estate would provide all 

 the essentials. Here, if an agricultural college, like Cirencester, 

 for example, was to establish an out-station, a dozen or score 

 of pupils at a moderate fee would make it worth while. More 

 than a class room would hardly be needed if the pupils lodged 

 out, as many of the University lads in Scotland do now, and 

 they could provide their own books, etc. A forestry educa- 

 tion of this kind is as much as the intending forester can 

 afford, and as much as he needs, as forestry goes at present, 

 and plenty of owners of woods would, we have no doubt, be 

 glad to let their woods be used N for such a purpose, and be 

 willing to adapt their management to any system that 

 promised to be advantageous. Given a good teacher, a 

 system, and the right text books, the wood should furnish the 

 rest. A good theoretical training is absolutely necessary, 

 but without the practical part the pupil has no confidence in 

 himself. He must see and handle things and become 

 familiar with woodcraft in all its branches ; but he need not 

 become a mere wood labourer for that purpose, although he 

 will be much benefited by being brought into frequent contact 

 with the ordinary wood hands at their daily work. 



We do not under-rate the value of special schools on a 

 large scale with woods attached (but not yet created), as seems 

 to be the idea of some. What is here suggested is a prac- 

 ticable scheme likely to meet present wants, and we have the 

 materials at home for that purpose if properly utilised. There 

 are foresters now who have never been far beyond their own 

 neighbourhood, who have a perfectly clear conception of the 

 Continental forestry system, gained by reading and by obser- 

 vation in the wood, and who could carry the same system out 

 perfectly well if called upon. As yet the educated forester 

 has no scope. The first thing to be done, where a Govern- 

 ment has no control of the forests, is to convince proprietors 

 of the need of a change and of a recognised system of wood 

 management, and the men would then be forthcoming. We 

 have faith that the owners of estates in Great Britain and 

 Ireland, who have undoubtedly planted extensively and with 

 praiseworthy motives in times past, will soon come to see the 

 necessity of taking better care of their plantations than has 



