FORESTRY IN SWITZERLAND. 23 1 



Fourth district. — That part of Uster which includes the corporation of Brutisellen, of 

 Pfdffikon which includes the corporation of Lindau, Tagelswangen, Rykon, and Winterberg; 

 of Winterthur, which includes the townships of Brutten, Toss, Wulflingen, and Pfungen; 

 Bulach, Dielsdorf, and that part of Zurich which includes the corporations of Seebach, Oerii- 

 kon. Forest area, 7,276 hectares. Total area, 38,160 hectares. 



I send with this report a set of pamphlets containing the series of in- 

 spections officially issued to the various grades of forestry offices, and by 

 which they are to be guided in the discharge of their various duties. As 

 supplementary to the law above given a study of these will well repay any 

 commission desirous of organizing a practical forestry system. 



INSTRUCTION IN FORESTRY. 



The course of instruction in forestry at the. federal polytechnic school in 

 this city covers three years, the central government paying the expenses of 

 the instructors engaged in the courses of training for subordinate employes 

 for federal forest territory, and in the finishing courses. The former gen- 

 erally lasts for two months (in two terms, spring and fall), the latter from 

 eight to twenty-four days. The following are the studies embraced in the 

 courses, viz. : 



First year. — Mathematics (and exercises therein) ; experimental physics (with recitations) ; 

 inorganic chemistry (with recitations) ; introduction to forestry science; excursions; general 

 botany (with recitations) ; zo31ogy (with general reference to animals useful or hurtful in 

 agriculture and forest culture) ; map drawing. 



Second year. — Instruction in forest climatic influences ; agricultural chemistry, first division ; 

 map drawing; topography; roads and water courses; general geology; pathology of plants; 

 national economy (with recitations) ; microscopic practice ; experiments in laboratory of agri- 

 cultural chemistry; seminary exercises. 



Third year. — Protection of forests, with applied zoology; forest formation; instruction in 

 management of forests ; excursions and experiments ; general instruction in law ; forest politics 

 and police; history of forestry; geodetics; seminary exercise. 



In addition to the above, during the summer semester, instruction is given in the following, 

 viz.: First year — organic chemistry; special botany ; petrography; meteorology; experiments 

 in laboratory; microscopic experiments. Second year — field measurements ; study of ground ; 

 preservation of various kinds of wood; forestry statistics; instructions in yield and increase 

 of wood ; instruction in law. Third year — statistics and calculation of value of forests ;. 

 forestry legislation; use of forests, technology; and general knowledge of business. 



Up to the beginning of this year (1886) there had been held fifteen 

 training courses for underforesters (attendance 360), two finishing courses 

 for the same (attendance 38), and seven tree-tending courses (attendance 

 116), toward the expense of which the sum of 23,754 francs was contributed 

 by the federal government. In addition thereto it was resolved, March 27, 

 1885, to establish in conjunction with the polytechnic forestry school a cen- 

 tral station for experiments in forestry matters, with a meteorological ob- 

 servatory attached, having as its object a system of thorough scientific ex- 

 periments, examinations and observations, to develop the subject of forestry 

 to its fullest extent, to achieve for it a recognized footing as a science, and 

 to assist as well in the solution of important meteorological questions con- 

 nected therewith. It may also here be mentioned that private societies for 

 the furtherance of similar objects exist quite generally throughout Switzer- 



