1870.] TJie French Imperial School of Forestry. 65 



in this forest, in view of the necessities of the owner and of the 

 general consumption. 



The Mathematical lectures consist of a course on Mechanics, with 

 special reference to the different kinds of saw-mills, and a short 

 course on Triangulation and the use of the Theodolite. 



Those on Natural History embrace three courses : one on 

 Mineralogy, one on Geology, and one on Zoology. Of the last, 

 perhaps the most important part regarding the forests is that which 

 treats of insects and their ravages, and the higher animals by which 

 they are kept in check. 



The legal studies are restricted to forest law, treating specially 

 of the French Code Forestiere. 



As in the former year, examinations are held constantly on the 

 last ten lectures, as well as at the end of the lecture session and at 

 the end of the year. They are conducted in the manner already 

 described. 



After Easter the school commences its travels, but there is now 

 no real tour. The students go to some locality where the different 

 kinds of saw-mills can be seen in action. Drawings of the machinery 

 are made from actual measurements, and are coloured so as to indi- 

 cate the material of which each part is composed. General direc- 

 tions are given to the students, and each is at liberty to take what 

 sections he thinks most necessary. They are also to obtain all the 

 information needful to determine the efficiency of each machine and 

 the probable cost of construction; so as to be able to deduce its 

 value as a commercial speculation. 



The School is also required to make a triangulation of a tract 

 of country, and for this purpose they adopt as a " base " some 

 line which has been calculated by the Ordnance Survey of France, 

 which would, of course, be more exact than one measured by the 

 aid of ordinary instruments. In this triangulation the method of 

 sections is again adopted, each having a certain number of signals 

 assigned to it, and being responsible for the exactitude of the results 

 obtained. 



The practical application of the course on the " Amenagement of 

 Forests" is generally made in the forest of Haguenau, which in one 

 part consists of " hard wood," oak, hornbeam, and beech, the first 

 being often remarkably fine ; whilst the other part is almost exclu- 

 sively composed of Scotch fir. The students have to form a plan 

 for the " amenagement " of the portion of forest which is allotted to 

 them, — generally from 1500 to 2000 acres. Of course, before 

 proposing any scheme, it is necessary to know the contents and 

 condition of the forest. In order to this, it is divided into parcels, 

 homogeneous as to climate, soil, aspect, and also as to the kinds 

 and ages of the trees found in them. Each of these is described, 

 and they are then grouped so as to form masses which may as 



VOL. VII. F 



