Forest School. 211 
and steered in more peaceful waters by avoiding all ideas 
at reforms and innovations, but otherwise improving the 
character of the school and introducing the third year 
study. But he, too, was much criticized and in diffi- 
culties until 1880; nor was Puton, his successor, free 
from troubles until in 1889 a new regime and new 
regulations were enacted. 
On the whole, the unfortunate uncertainty which beset 
this school and the methods pursued do not appear to 
have produced as efficient service and active development 
of the art as the more systematic and thorough training 
pursued by the Germans, if we may judge from results 
in practice and literature. 
At the International Congress of Silviculture, conven- 
ing in connection with the Universal Exposition in 1900, 
supposedly the best home talent was represented, but it 
cannot be said that anything new or striking or pro- 
motive of the art or science transpired. The desirability 
of establishing experiment stations outside the one in 
existence at Nancy (established in 1882) and the desira- 
bility of constructing yield tables required still argu- 
ments at this meeting. 
The school is organized on military lines and lays more 
stress on drilling in practical work than on understand- 
ing principles. It has 12 professors, three for for- 
estry, two for natural sciences, mathematics and law, 
one for soil physics and agriculture, one for military 
science and one for German. Only 12 students may 
graduate. A three year course, which includes journeys 
through the forest regions of France, leads to govern- 
ment employment; indeed, the first paid position as 
garde général stagiaire is attained after two years study 
before leaving school. 
