328 ENGLISH ESTATE FORESTRY 



our educational authorities, namely, the raising of a man above 

 his work, is a problem which has not yet been satisfactorily 

 solved, or given much attention to. Yet, to anyone who has 

 taken the trouble to enter into conversation with many of 

 our older woodmen, it is apparent that they possess a more 

 intimate acquaintance with the principles of forestry than is 

 generally attributed to them. Unfortunately this acquaint- 

 ance is mixed up more or less with popular errors in connec- 

 tion with trees and natural history generally, and therefore 

 the exact causes of many effects which they can see and 

 appreciate are not recognised by them. A little training, such 

 as could be afforded by practical demonstrations in woods 

 and nurseries, might do away with a great deal of ignor- 

 ance and carelessness on their part, and make our working 

 foresters and younger woodmen more valuable servants to 

 their employers, and more efficient custodians of the woods 

 entrusted to them, than is generally the case now. 



