490 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Jak. 17, 1884. 



EUROPEAN FOREST SCHOOLS. 

 \ STRIKING contrast with our helter-skelter treatment 

 ■£*■ of forests is afforded by the careful training given by 

 the Forest Schools of the continent of Europe, and particu- 

 larly those of Germany, to those put in charge of this great 

 public interest. We Americans have commonly taken it for 

 granted that about all the qualifications needed for the wood- 

 man was an indisposition to "spare that tree," together with 

 the muscle and skill to swing an axe (hittiog twice in a 

 place), and to skid the logs on a sled or split them into posts, 

 rails or cordwood. 



Only a few of our peojle have— at least until very lately- 

 had the faintest idea that the relations of the forest to every 

 department of industry are far-reaching and complex, and 

 that, therefore, those who manage forests should understand 

 these relations. 



We are about to have this lesson scored in by the sharp 

 Bwiteh of adversity. We are already suffering much, and 

 ore sure before long to suffer more because of this blindness. 

 Even adversity may not open our eyes, because our vast loss 

 will be the aggregate of so many littles that they may not be 

 recognized as coming from one and the same source— and 

 that is spoliation of the forests. 



A few words from Bernard Palissy — whose insight into 

 the physical universe seems so marvelous when we reflect 

 that he lived more than 800 years ago — puts this very con- 

 cretely: 



"I cannot enough detest such a thing" — he was speaking 

 of the greedy stripping off the forests by noblemen and high 

 eeclesinststics from land under their control— ''and can call 

 it not a fault, but a curse and a misfortune to all France; 

 because, when all the woods have been leveled there must 

 be an end of all the arts, and artisans may go browse on herb 

 like Nebuchadnezzar. I have sometimes attempted to put 

 down in order the arts that would cease if there came to be 

 an end of wood: but when I had written a great number of 

 them, 1 could see no way to an end of my writing, and hav- 

 ing considered all, I found that there was not a single one 

 to be exercised without wood, that all navigation and all 

 fisheries must cease, and that eveu the birds and several kinds 

 of beasts which nourish themselves upon fruits must migrate 

 to another kingdom, and that neither oxen, cows, nor any 

 other bovine animals [perhaps he meant to include horses 

 and mules] would be of service in a country where there was 

 no wood." ("L'Arl tie Detenir Wche," a work dedicated to 

 the French people, quoted in Morley's "Life of Palissy," 

 vol. i, p. 31). 



Gathering up the results of the studies and experiments, 

 pursued by many laborious investigators d urine: the three 

 centuries Siuee the almost inspired Potter of Saintonge wrote 

 the vigorous words just quoted, these Forest Schools have 

 put togeuicv a bodv of theory and practice which comprises 

 both the science and ait of forestry. To master it requires 

 taleut and industry of a high oru.. r and many years of 

 patient application. After a brief classmeation of these 

 Bchools, we will look in on them, and follow tne pupils 

 around at their studies and their work. 



There arc three leading theories, and three sorts of school 

 based on these. The first theory is that since so many of 

 the studies — botany, geology, chemistry, mathematics — are 

 taught at the universities, it would be best to make the For- 

 est Scljool a department of l he university, which has already 

 instructors, museums, libraries and laboratories. Of this 

 class are the Forest Schools at Giessen, Zurich and Munich. 

 The second idea is to locate a school in or near a large 

 forest, so as to apply what is taught in actual practice. On 

 this plan are carried on the schools at Neustadt-Ebcrawalde, 

 Milnden, Eisenach, Nancy (France) and others. 



The third idea is to combine the study of Agriculture and 

 Forestry in the same school, aud while they give theoretical 

 instruction aim principally at practice. Of this sort are the 

 schools at: Hohenheim, Vienna, St. Petersburg and Stock 

 holm. 



The sort of study and work which employs the students 

 in most of these institutions is not of a primary character. 

 In the public schools much elementary instruction in Agri- 

 culture and Forestry is given to those who are to be the 

 future laborers in field and wood; but those who are to 

 direct these toilers must be qualified to pursue quite ad- 

 vanced studies before joining these professional schools, e. g. , 

 at the Polytechnic School at Baden one must, if he wishes 

 to enter the State Forestry service, be a citizen and must 

 have taken a full course in a gymnasium (which is quite 

 equivalent to a college course at a high-grade American col- 

 lege), and must then, for two years, pursue general studies 

 in mathematics and physics preparatory to the special course 

 in Forestry. If he fails in his examination upon the work 

 of these two years he has only one more trial. If success- 

 ful, he begins the special studies, which last two years longer, 

 and then he is examined by directors of forests, professors 

 of law, agriculture and mathematics. If successful, he is 

 then given a position under the general district foiesters as 

 an assistant, aud after further Btudy and practice in this 

 capacity, from six to ten years— according to the number of 

 those competing with him— he will, if faithful, be appointed 

 as a general district forester. Here are from ten to fourteen 

 years of Btudy and practice after one has the equivalent of a 

 good American college education, before he can assume the 

 full duties of a forester. 



At Neustadt-Eberswalde, about twenty-fonr miles north- 

 east from Berlin, is a well-equipped school upos the second 



of the three ideas named above. Tt was organized in 1821, 

 established as a department in the University of Berlin— 

 that is, it was at first based upon the first of the three plans — 

 but the superintendent, Dr. Pfeil, urged that it be made a 

 separate institution (the second plan) and be located near 

 some large forest. In this bewas warmly seconded by Wil- 

 helm and Alexander von Humboldt, and in 1830 the acad- 

 emy was moved to its present location, where it is near two 

 large forest districts. Its course of instruction embraces 

 three groups of subjects: First, Fundamental, divided into 

 (a) natural sciences and (b) mathematics; second, Principal 

 sciences, and third, Secondary sciences. To get an idea of 

 the course, let us glance at the studies pursued and the 

 work done in each of these departments : First, Natural 

 Sciences. This includes general and theoretic chemistry, 

 special inorganic and organic (applied) chemistry, physics 

 and meteorology, mineralogy and geognosy (speculative 

 geology), definition of minerals and rocks. The students 

 have now learned something of the materials whose combi- 

 nations and interactions under natural law are to furnish their 

 life study. Next come investigations of living organisms. 

 Botany in general and forest botany in particular; anatomy 

 of plants, vegetable physiology and pathology. Microscopy 

 comes in here to enable the pupils to see nature's small work- 

 shops, and botanical exenrsioas are made. So much for 

 plant life. Then, for the animal kingdom, we have general 

 zoology, special study of vertebrates, and in order that 

 forest insects may be understood, a course of instruction is 

 devoted to the invertebrates. Some practice is given 

 making zoological preparations; thirty-two geological ex- 

 cursions of three hours each are made. In all, 840 hours of 

 instruction are given in the Natural Sciences. 



Under (b) Mathematics we have geodesy, or that branch 

 of surveying which takes into account the curvature of the 

 earth, and this, with interest and rent account, wood meas- 

 uring, mathematical reviews, surveying and leveling and 

 plan drawing, fill up the 440 hours of teaching in mathe- 

 matics. 



Under the second general head— Principal Sciences— vie 

 will just take a look, as it were v at the backs of the hooks in 

 which they must delve and mine. The subjects are: Culti- 

 vation of forests, forest implements, geographical forest 

 botany, protection of forests, forest usufruct. (By the 

 way. that is just what we Americans most need to learn 

 about forests. It means lite rigid to use without lessening 

 the value or substance. We have made spendthrift haste to 

 squander principal as well as interest. Would that some 

 wise head could have taught this same forest usufruct to 

 our forefathers). Then come technology, forest survey- 

 ing and appraising, calculation of forest values and 

 statistics, administration of forest and hunting, redemp- 

 tion of rights and usage, forest history, reviews and ex- 

 aminations. The total of 980 hours instruction in these 

 subjects with hard names is rilled out by eighty-eight forest 

 excursions. Third come the secondary sciences. Under the 

 head of Jurisprudence there are civil and criminal law, civil 

 and criminal lawsuits and constitutional rights and juris- 

 prudence. Total, 180 hours. Miscellaneous subjects iu this 

 third department are: Construction of roads, hunting; 

 forty-eight shooting exercises of two hours each (the boys 

 must like that); in all 340 hours teaching is given in these 

 secondary sciences. 



In all the three departments a grand total of 2.648 hours, 

 teaching is given— on an average almost five hours a day. 

 Of course this means at least as many more hours spent in 

 preparation for recitations. 



If we only had had work similar to that done in these 

 schools here in America during the last hundred years we 

 should not be, as the meet sober, and best informed special- 

 ists say we aie, upon the brink of a general timber famine. 

 That means at least a billion dollars a year of direct loss — 

 probably a good deal more -and of indirect damage in the 

 way of climate, public health, water to float vessels, turn 

 mill wheels and support vegetation, a sum total which only 

 God knows, whose physical and moral law we have so dread- 

 fully broken by our treatment of his great gift of the forest. 



Much information on the subject treated in this article is 

 to he found in Dr. Hough's Report on Forestry, United 

 States Department of Agriculture, 1877. 



THE MICHIGAN ASSOCIATION. 



THE meeting of the Michigan Sportsman's Association 

 waa well attended, and the discussion of an interest- 

 ing character. The principal subject before the convention 

 i the appointment of a State Game Warden. Dr. Holmes, 

 the president, read a paper urging the duty of the State to 

 undertake the practical work of controlling its game, and he 

 also suggested that it might be wise for the Association to 

 provide a retreat for the game by securing the control of a 

 large area of woodland in the Northern Peninsula. The 

 election of officers was as follows: 



Dr. E. S. Holmes, of Grand Rapid s, President; S. A. 

 Rogers, of Jackson, Secretary; N. A. Osgood, of Battle 

 Creek, Treasurer. A. H. Mershon, Director for four years, 

 and J. C. Parker, of Grand Rapids, for three years. 



The Massachusetts Society had a meeting in Boston 

 last night to consider a plan for making uniform the New 

 England game seasons. We shall give a fuller notice of the 

 proceedings in our next issue. 



AFTER CARIBOU. 



ATESTLED among low wooded hills lies the beautiful 

 J-* Basin of Gaspe, lis blue waters are seldom lashed to 

 fury by the tempestuous winds of the North Atlantic; for 

 the most-part they spaikle blithely in the sun, and kiss the 

 gentle slopes with a loverlike tenderness, Here I he weather- 

 beaten fisherman finds a safe anchorage for his strained and 

 laboring bark, and the seaman, after having escaped the 

 perils of the Labrador coast and of Anticosti, enters this port 

 and feels secure. Tt is its quiet picturesquencss rather than 

 any grandeur of the scenery that renders Gaspe so lovely. 

 Rounded hills clad with evergreen forests, cultivated tields, 

 down toward the water's edge, low white buildings that 

 stand in the shadow of the woods or upon the shore, the tiny 

 hamlet, on the steep hillside, and the blue waters of the Basin, 

 combine to make up a landscape which cannot, fail to charm. 

 The prospect is an attractive one at all seasons. In winter 

 the green foliage of the firs upon the hillside forms heavy 

 masses of color to relieve the brilliant whiteness of the uni- 

 versal snow. Over the ice-bound waters, sleighs drawn by 

 swift-footed little horses, dash along with a cheery melody 

 of jingling bells, and dog teams more deliberately haul their 

 heavy loads, each guided by a fur-clad driver, on his snow 

 shoes. The, prospect is not less lovely when the sloping 

 meadows have begun to take ou their tender green, and the 

 freed waters are alive with fish and fanned by the wings 

 of migrating fowl, and all along the shore the fishermen are 

 overhauling their craft, and preparing nets and liues for the 

 work which is at hand. 



But summer is Gaspe's most delightful season. Xmv all 

 the vegetation is in its fullest luxuriance. The thrifty 

 crops are maturing. The harvest will soon be ripe for the 

 sickle. Hillside and meadow and woodland are beautiful 

 with a thousand delicate and fragrant wild flowers. In 

 the fields and along the roadside you may pluck the blos- 

 soms of the lily, the violet, the Canada, cornel, the purple 

 vetch, and the ox-eyed daisy. The delicate pink hells of the 

 linitaja nestle half concealed among their rounded leaves in 

 the shadow of tree and rock, and iu the burnt woods the 

 creamy blossoms of the blueberry whiten the ground. Every. 

 where there is the rich green of the ferns and of sheeny vel- 

 vet moss, and pale gray red-cupped lichens. Summer is the 

 season for work here. Basin and harbor are dotted with 

 fishing craft. The tiny dory, the sharp-prowed whale boat, 

 and the heavy smack with red or white sails, hurry hither 

 and thither, intent, upon the capture of cod or mackerel, 

 and their arrival and departure give an air of bustle to 

 the scene which is observable at no other season of the 

 year. Now, too, the salmon fishers arrive, and pole up 

 the rivers which empty into the Basin, to capture these 

 noble fish. 



Autumn is not the least attractive of the seasons at Gaspe. 

 The fishing is at an end. The gently sloping fields near 

 the water have yielded their crop to the fanner, and their 

 yellow stubbles lie warm in the afternoon sun. The wooded 

 hills still preserve their never-changing dark green hue. but 

 here and there among them are seen patches of pale yellow, 

 which tell of the presence among the spruces of a poplar or 

 a white birch, or a maple or a feathery larch. In the 

 open places in the forest, where fire or the axe of the settler 

 has cleared away the growing timber, the new growth is 

 brown. Keen fiosts have nipped the ferns, and the low 

 shrubs which have replaced the forest trees, now flourish 

 among their white Totting trunks. The yellow leaves of 

 birch and poplar and ash reluctantly let go their hold upon 

 the parent stem and slowly fall to earth. The waters of the 

 Basin are not less blue now than in summer, but they are 

 more changeful. Often the hurry tag ston m cloud casts over 

 them its shadow, making them seem white, or pale gray, or 

 heavy and leaden. The fishing boats which a month or two 

 before swarmed here, have departed or are laid up — their occu- 

 pation gone. A host of birds are starting on their southward 

 journey. The shrill bleat of the suipe is heard in the 

 marsh, the whistle of the wild duck's wing comes qiivering 

 over the waters, the trumpet-like cry of the Canada goose 

 echoes against the hillsides. Winter is at hand, and a 

 universal restless movement pervading all nature, proclaims 

 his coming. The frosts become sharper and more killing; 

 a little snow falls aud then melts again; harder fro.-ts fellow; 

 more snow falls; the bay freezes over, and Gaspe si 

 down to six months of solitude. 



My first visit to Gaspe was in autumn. I had been in 

 search of ground where 1 might have a chance to kill a 

 caribou or two, and through the great kindness of your 

 delightful correspondent, Mr. J. U. Gregory, had been 

 directed here. Gaspe is reached from Montreal, Quebec or 

 Halifax by the Intercolonial Railway to Campbellton, thence 

 by steamer, which sails on Tuesdays and Saturdays at five 

 A. M. The run occupies about eighteen horns, though much 

 depends upon the amount of freight carried by the vessel, 

 and her consequent detention at way ports. The route lies 

 long the north shore of the beautiful Baie des Chaleurs, a 

 region famed for its salmon rivers and its picturesque sGen- 

 ery. The settlements are net numerous, and the only indus- 

 try of importance is the fishing. This coast was at one 

 time the most important fishing ground in America, but of late 

 years the catch has greatly fallen off. The country has not 

 prospered as it would seem it should have. The reason given 

 for this is that, until witiiin a short time, the fishing business 

 has all been in the hands of a very few firms, who monopo- 

 lized this and all the trade of the region. The inhabitants 



