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settled we shall be merely groping in the dark. In fact, I think it may be taken for 

 granted that all we will do in the way of forestry in the Madras Presidency, during the 

 present century at least, will, after all, be but experimentalizing, which fact, however, 

 need in no way delay the demarkation, survey, and settlement of the forests." 



It may be said here that, if it be necessary to commence at once, in India, it is 

 probably more necessary in Canada, where the process of growth is so much less rapid. 



Concerning the capabilities of German foresters, the Captain says: — "An over- 

 forester, and even many of the foresters and overseers, can tell the name, local and 

 botanical, of any tree, shrub, and plant, classify it, and state its uses ; name and classify 

 every beetle and insect in the forest, and know whether they are harmless or destructive 

 to trees, in what shape they do damage, and what are the best known preventive measures ; 

 inform you of the nature of the soil, and to what period the formation belongs ; what 

 trees will grow best, and why. All this is known thoroughly, theoretically and 

 practically. 



"Then as to the district, the exact yield, rate of growth, and annual increase in 

 value of each block is thoroughly known and can be put down in figures at each moment 

 by the over-forester, who can tell at the commencement of each year how much timber he 

 is going to cut and sell, and from what parts of the forest it is to come, how many acres 

 have to be partially cleared for natural reproduction, how many to be planted, sown, 

 thinned, or planted up. The mere details of all this are left, as a rule, entirely to the 

 subordinates, who thoroughly understand them. 



" The forest-masters in charge of divisions possess not only the theoretical and 

 scientific knowledge acquired in the forest academy, and the practical experience gained 

 while they were over-foresters in charge of a district,' but the more extended knowledge 

 and wider views from their larger field for observation and comparison of causes and 

 results. They are then qualified to decide most points, revise working plans, and super- 

 vise operations generally, whilst settling complaints and complications in connection with 

 the forest administration, advising the local head of the department, and compiling 

 valuable reports and statistical information." 



The British Isles. 



There are many forests, both Crown and private, in the British Islands, concerning 

 which, as they appear to be managed on difierent systems, I shall merely state such points 

 as seem to have some bearing on possible operations in Canada, or may show the progress 

 made in late years in planting and foresting operations. 



In the New Forest, Hampshire, containing 91,000 acres, much has been planted 

 with Scotch fir and larch in 1853, and with oak in 1857. What is noticeable is that the 

 first, planted as nurses, are planted here so much before the others (both are elsewhere 

 frequently planted at once). It is done to establish the nurses, and give shelter from the 

 cutting winds prevalent here. They transplant here from the first nursery to another— 

 the last one near the ultimate destination of the trees. 



The Dean Forest, in Gloucestershire, has 22,000 acres, in all. The commissioner 

 visited twelve plantations here, ranging from 1844 to the present year. Nurses and 

 hardwood are put out together. 



In Scotland, the nurseries of Lawson & Sons, near Edinburgh, are noticed. They 

 contain 270 acres. There were thirty millions of coniferse seedlings in the beds. The 

 pivMS pinaster is largely used for planting on light sandy soils near the sea. 



Before sowing or forming the nursery bed the land is trenched to fourteen inches 

 and a crop of potatoes taken off to clean it. In the following spring the seed beds are 

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