FOREST POLICIES OF FOREIGN NATIONS. 293 



and as far as possible he is to superintend on 

 the spot all forestry work. The government has 

 established nurseries, from which private owners 

 can obtain young trees and seeds at a low price. 

 The owners are allowed to employ as managers 

 of their forests the trained officials of the forest 

 administration, while medals and prizes are given 

 yearly to private owners for excellency in forest 

 culture and management. Two higher and thirty 

 lower schools of forestry are also maintained by 

 the government. 



The forest institute in St. Petersburg, with a 

 staff of 15 professors and instructors, and about 

 450 students, and one at New Alexandria, near 

 Warsaw, supply the superior staff. But the most 

 important and characteristic feature in educational 

 direction are the 30 silvicultural schools, in which 

 the rangers or under-foresters are educated, al- 

 most entirely at government expense. There are 

 usually 3 teachers employed, and forestry offi- 

 cials having also other duties, for the 20 students 

 at each of these schools. The total expense of 

 such a school is about $3300, of which the state 

 contributes about $2500. 



Another characteristic feature is a method, re- 

 vived in 1897, from German precedent of 150 years 

 ago, and also practised in France, to secure refor- 

 estation of cut-over lands. The wood-merchant 

 who cuts timber on government lands, especially in 

 the pineries, is obliged to clear the ground of debris, 



