252 North American Forests and Forestry 



that not rarely the designating as forestry what is 

 really a branch of horticulture tends to perpetuate 

 a confusion which has already done much mischief. 



It is very probable that within a few years some 

 of these colleges, and especially those connected 

 with the greater universities, will extend their for- 

 estry courses and perhaps attempt to give instruc- 

 tion similar to that at Cornell. If that is done, and 

 unless a separate College of Forestry is established, 

 the instruction in this branch ought to be severed 

 from the agricultural department. Forestry as a 

 profession and the pursuit of agriculture have 

 but little in common. Nor does forestry belong 

 properly with the Department of Science. Its 

 true relations are with economics or civics. To 

 the professional student the correlation of forestry 

 with other departments of the university will per- 

 haps make little difference. But it will be of great 

 importance in attracting to its comprehensive 

 courses those students from whose number will 

 come the future leaders in public affairs, and who 

 are not ordinarily found in the scientific depart- 

 ment. The scientific men, botanists and others, 

 have heretofore taken so prominent a part in the 

 American forestry movement that it may seem 

 natural to some university men to make forestry 

 instruction a branch of physical and biological sci- 

 ence teaching. To me this would appear to be a 

 mistake that might prove a serious hindrance in 

 the work. 



What opportunities to engage in their chosen 



