41 8 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS OF 



lation, is based on the knowledge and use of mathematical and economic laws and 

 principles, which are also of world-wide application, albeit the economist has not 

 always succeeded in recognizing the law ; nor has the naturalist always been success- 

 ful in this respect. 



The methods of applying laws and principles may vary, and to derive practical 

 methods for their application requires judgment of the conditions surrounding the 

 problem, which comes by experience, not by teaching. He who has thoroughly 

 grasped the laws and principles, natural, mathematical and economic, which underlie 

 the well-developed forestry practices of Germany, if he have judgment, will be able 

 to devise practical methods applicable to any conditions on the globe ; and, in order 

 to do so successfully in America, he must be thoroughly cognizant of American 

 economic conditions. 



It is only the half-informed who expects to apply the recipes he sees employed, 

 without a diagnosis of the case ; it is the injudicious who would copy the prac- 

 tices of another country without the modifications which a new country make 

 necessary. 



The main effort in the teaching of the College, therefore, is to point out the unal- 

 terable principles and laws underlying the varied practice. 



Practical Infraction in tl)e Forest. 



The most notable change in the schedule of the College is the arrangement by 

 which the junior and senior classes are, for the entire spring term, to be transferred 

 to the College Forest, where, under the guidance of the assistant professors and 

 Director, they will be engaged mainly in practical work. This is to consist in sow- 

 ing and planting in the nursery and in the field, making improvement cuttings and 

 thinnings, marking out regeneration cuttings, and performing other silvicultural 

 operations, measuring trees, making yield tables, surveying, subdividing, laying out 

 roads, and making working plans for limited areas. 



During this term in the woods a course in practical fish culture will be given, for 

 which, in the coming spring, Professor B. W. Evermann, the expert of the United 

 States Fish Commission, has been engaged, while a course in game preservation will 

 be given by Dr. Gifford. 



As a preparation to these courses, a special course on the morphology and classi- 

 fication of fishes, birds and mammals has been kindly devised by the Zoological 

 Department, which course has been most satisfactorily given by Mr. H. D. 

 Reed, B.S. 



It is expected that this opportunity for practical work in the woods, continu- 



