33 FOREST PLANTING. 



ing them fit for the position of foresters. The French 

 government has done much to educate good foresters by 

 purchasing the well known forest-farm "Barres," which 

 is situated 1,000 feet above the sea level near the great 

 Orleans forests. This farm had been used already for 

 fifty years as a private Experimental Station for forest 

 trees. The objects of this Station Avere : 



1. Investigations in regard to the most profitable use 

 of certain soils for raising the most valuable kinds of wood 

 thereupon. With this department there were connected 

 experiments for acclimatizing useful foreign forest trees. 



2. Eaising at the least possible expense the greatest 

 amount of good seedlings, combined with observations in 

 regard to the yearly increase of wood in the various forest 

 trees. 



3. Producing and closely examining the seeds used in 

 the State forests. 



The French government bought this farm in 1873. not- 

 withstanding her great financial trouble at that time, for 

 the purpose of establishing there a Government "school 

 of forestry." This was done without interfering in any 

 way with the objects to which the farm had been during 

 half a century so beneficially subservient. There was 

 simply added to this establishment the " school of for- 

 estry," in which young men obtain such information as to 

 enable them, after the completion of the full course, to 

 act as foresters. The course lasts through two years and 

 is more calculated for a practical instruction than a high 

 scientific education. To impart the latter, and to raise 

 the higher officers in the department of forestry, tho 

 widely known Institution at Nancy is destined, and con- 

 sidered amply sufficient for all France. At "Barres" 

 instruct ion< in ccrtnin sciences are given only in order to 

 accustom men brought up in common schools to concen- 

 tlicir mental power more upon practical subjects. 

 Therefore, only during four winter months is elementary 



