EDUCATION AND RESEARCH. 77 



also extensive forest areas in the neighbourhood of Aberdeen. 

 Research work is being pursued on the germination of beech 

 seed and the subsequent growth of the seedhngs ; also into the 

 classification of forest soils according to geological characters and 

 the determination of the most suitable species for afforestation. 



The Edinburgh and East of Scotland College of Agriculture 

 holds at present only evening classes under the College scheme of 

 extension work. 



The Royal College of Science for Ireland, Dublin, awards a 

 Diploma in Forestry to successful students, the course of instruc- 

 tion extending over four years. Research has been carried out 

 on the hybridisation of various species of trees, particularly 

 poplars ; also on the distinguishing features of the Oregon and 

 Colorado Douglas firs. 



Schools for Forest Apprentices, intended for working men only, 

 are conducted departmentally by the Forestry Commissioners. 

 The courses extend over two years, and the number of apprentices 

 at each school is limited to about 24. The men are chosen on 

 their merits. The first school was established at the Forest of 

 Dean in 1904 and has worked satisfactorily. In future the 

 apprentices will receive a fixed allowance and will be lodged and 

 catered for free of charge in hostels attached to the school. 

 Class-room instruction is limited to 1^ days per week, the 

 remainder of the time being spent working in the woods under 

 trained foremen, and performing the ordinary work of a forester. 

 Schools for forest apprentices have now been established at : 

 Parkend in the Forest of Dean ; Burley, in the New Forest ; 

 Chopwell, Rowlands Gill, near Newcastle ; Beaufort, Beauly, 

 Inverness-shire ; Avondale, Rathdrum, Co. Wicklow. The estab- 

 lishment of further schools is under consideration. Courses of a 

 few weeks for landowners are also held annually. 



The Research Department of the Imperial College of Science 

 and Technology, London, has, during the last 12 years, conducted 

 investigations on the mechanical values of timber from home- 

 grown and foreign woods ; timber used in aircraft ; Scots pine 

 for use in paving blocks ; the relation of timber to various 

 adhesives ; structure of wood for purposes of identification and 

 in relation to shrinking, warping, &c. ; the loss of water from 

 wood with reference to kiln-drying ; improvement of the proper- 



