DEGREES AND DIPLOMAS 143 



individuals deputed to the University by the 

 organizers of this fund, provided they fulfil the 

 qualifying requirements. 



I think, therefore, that in this important matter 

 of training fully qualified men in forestry, Edin- 

 burgh (and other centres, Oxford, Cambridge, and 

 elsewhere, are similarly engaged) has kept well up 

 with the needs of the country, and in this respect 

 fulfilled the promise which her action in instituting 

 the first lectureship in Forestry in this country as 

 far back as 1888 would lead the public to expect 

 from her. 



It has been said that the mere taking of a degree 

 or diploma does not make a forester. That is true : 

 but so is the converse. The mere practice of forestry 

 in the woods without a sound scientific training in 

 the theory of the subject does not produce a forester 

 capable of correctly managing commercial woods, as 

 British forestry in the past has well exemplified. 

 The same argument applies to training in agriculture 

 or banking, and every other profession for that 

 matter. You may pass with honours in courses in 

 banking, but no bank manager would consider you 

 competent to manage a bank or even assume an 

 important position in the bank. 



The young forester armed with his degree or 

 diploma must now go to the woods to obtain the 

 practical experience which will one day make him 

 a qualified and capable expert. As an assistant 

 to a qualified officer he will, whilst picking up this 

 experience, be earning his living and prove of con- 

 siderable use. That this is the case is exemplified 



