SCHOOLS OF FORESTEY. 623 



The Imperial High School of Agriculture and Forestry, at Vienna, was 

 founded by a law of April 30, 1872. The agricultural section was opened 

 April 1 of that year, and the forest section October IJ, 1875. 



The object of the high school of agriculture at Vienna is the main- 

 tenance at state expense of an institution for instruction in the highest 

 departments of agriculture and forestry. It therefore offers correspond- 

 ing opportunities ibr the preparation of those who have the care of 

 large estates or domains, as also for instruction and researches in ag- 

 ricultural and forestal affairs, and enables students of state economy 

 and jurisprudence to obtain for their future calling valuable knowledge 

 in agriculture. The high school of agriculture is divided into two sec- 

 tions under one management, the agricultural and forestal.^ 



Secondary schools of forestry in Austria-Hungary. — Of these there are 

 three, viz, at Weisswasser in Bohemia, at Eulenberg in Moravia, and 

 at Lemberg, in Galicia. 



FoESTLEHEANSTALT zu Weisswasser. — Course 2 years; instruc- 

 tion in German; condition of admission, certificate of a lower real- 

 school and one year's forest practice ; minimum age, 17. Teachers, 5; 

 registered scholars first year, 42; second year, 38; total, 80. It has a 

 library — various collections; a botanical garden of 1.5 hectare ; a leaf- 



amental and accessory sciences, was designed chiefly as a preparation for special forest 

 studies, in which the course was very complete. The institution was wholly at the 

 charge and under the direction of the government, and was open to any who might be 

 able to pass the preliminary examinations. The student could pursue one or two 

 branches only, or all three in succession. The attendance was not large, and averaged 

 about twenty-six. Without going into minute details, it may be stated that the num- 

 ber of hours devoted to the several classes of studies, during the first two years, was 

 as follows : 



Ist year. 2d year. 



Mathematics 672 609 



Natural sciences 588 168 



Forestal sciences 168 441 



Total 1,428 1,218 



During the third year 409 hours were given to administrative instruction, and 735 

 to forest-industries, making 1,237 hours for that year, or 3,880 for the whole course of 

 three years. This divided among 126 weeks, gave 30 hours to the week, or 5 hours 

 daily. The percentage was 49 per cent, for mathematics, 23 per cent, for natural sci- 

 ences, 14 per cent, for forestal sciences, and 13 per cent, for administrative instruction. 

 Professor Mathieu, in writing concerning this school in 1874, remarks : " This organ- 

 ization may be suited to the wants of this country, but the stranger not acquainted 

 with it must be astonished at the enormous development of the mathematical portion, 

 including applications to geodesy, mechanics, and constructions, while the forest- 

 sciences proper appear thrown into the background. Only 546 hours are given to these 

 in three years, while at the German school at Neustadt Eberswalde they occupy 980 

 hours, in a course of two years and a half." He also notices the absence of instruction 

 in amenagenient, mineralogy, geology, and other studies deemed important elsewhere, 

 and only a partial representation of zoology, except as it related to the chase and to 

 noxious animals.— iiei-ifc des Eaux et Forets (1874), p. 244. 



' The instruction comprises all those departments of science which have for their 

 object the highest culture in the sphere of agriculture, and is so arranged that the 

 course may be finished in six semesters. The plan of instruction admits of two classt-s 

 ol bearers, ordinary and extraordinary. The Ibrmer must produce a legalized certificate 

 of completion of course in a gymnasium or upper real-school. To ordinary hearers of 

 department schools of the same rank, on producing a certificate to that effect, admis- 

 sion may be granted. The ministry decides in each case the rank of such schools. 

 Persons not legally qualified as above may be admitted as extraordinary hearers, if 

 tboy have reached their eighteenth year, and are able to show a degree of preparatory 

 education that will enable them to understand the lectures of the institution. Extra- 

 ordinary hearers have no claim to exemption from tuitions, or to the enjoyment of 

 state stipends. Strangers may be admitted to the lectures and demonstrations, 

 upon notice by the lecturers being given to the dean. Proof of preliminary prepara- 

 tion is not required of them, nor do they receive certificates. All hearers are under the 

 disciplinary regulations established for the high school. 



