530 FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION November 



point trained men for the service. Dr. months every year in the Prussian for- 



Schlich and Mr. Ribbentrop, who ests, where they are placed only two 



were trained in Germany, were then together, under specially-selected for- 



sent out to India, and these officers, est officers, so as to learn the practi- 



both of whom eventually became In- cal management of large areas of for- 



spector-General of Forests, greatly as- ests. 



sisted Dr. Brandis in his work of es- Cooper's Hill College is now to be 

 tablishing a scientific Department of closed, as the Secretary of State hopes 

 Forestry in India. At the same time, to recruit the Indian engineers from 

 eight candidates were appointed by the various engineering colleges in 

 the Secretary of State for India to Britain, coupled with experience gain- 

 undergo training in France and Ger- ed in one year's practical work with 

 many, and these men went to India some engineering firm. Fresh arrange- 

 in 1869. Another batch of trained ments have, therefore, to be made for 

 forest officers went out in 1871, and the instruction of our Indian forest 

 the Continental training was contin- students, and this it is probably in- 

 ued in Germany till 1875, and in tended to secure at one of our Uni- 

 France till 1886. Dr. Brandis was versities. It is no longer necessary 

 deputed to Madras, in 1881, to reor- to have recourse to the Continental 

 anize the forest service in that Presi- forest schools, for the following rea- 

 dency, and retired from the service in sons : 



1882, becoming Sir Dietrich Brandis, Since 1886, when training our men 

 K.C.I.E., and was also appointed a at Nancy was abolished, considerable 

 Fellow of the Royal Society, and now, progress has been made in forestry in 

 in his eightieth year, he is still work- Britain. Dr. Schlich, who, besides 

 ing at Kew at a comprehensive man-, possessing a thorough knowledge of 

 ual of the Indian forest flora. theoretical forestry, has managed a 

 Dr. Schlich, who succeeded Sir D. woodland of 3,000 acres in the Ar- 

 Brandis as Inspector-General of For- dennes for the last ten years, and also 

 ests, was deputed home in 1885, to in- more recently the 8,000 acres of the 

 augurate a course of instruction in Duke of Bedford's woods, is a good, 

 forestry, at the Royal Indian Engi- practical forester. No one can be bet- 

 neering College, Cooper's Hill, a place ter qualified for starting a superior 

 admirably suited, owing to its prox- forest school for British and Colonial 

 imity to the Windsor Forests (14,000 forestry, the necessity for which I 

 acres), to the beech woodlands in the have already explained. Continental 

 Chiltern Hills, and to the coppices- forest schools do not, as a rule, take 

 with-standards in Surrey and Sussex, a wide view of forestry. Each State 

 and to Kew Gardens, for instruction in Germany has its own system of 

 in forestry and botany. management, which is not always ap- 

 The course of instruction at Coo- plicable to other countries, thus nei- 

 per's Hill comprises drawing, survey- their the clear-cutting system, prac- . 

 ing, road-making and building, ac- ticed in Saxony and elsewhere, nor the 

 counts and German, elementary chem- compartment shelter-wood system, are 

 istry, and the chemistry of soils and generally applicable to India, where 

 physics, entomology, botany, geology the selection system and the system of 

 (including that of India), and fores- coppice-with-standards prevail, and 

 try. Thoroughly practical instruction where it is hoped to introduce the 

 in forest nursery work, and in plant- group system, which at present is car- 

 ing operations, have been given, and ried on only in the Grand Duchy of 

 the students have also been taught Baden, in Europe. It is also neces- 

 methods of natural regeneration of sary that our Indian forest students 

 forests and thinnings in the Chiltern should have some notions of tropical 

 Hills, and in the fine French forests, and sub-tropical forestry, and should 

 Besides this, they have spent nine know something of Indian history. In- 



