348 
The Principles of Forestry. 
sought ; but my opinion is entirely against this part of any formu- 
lated programme. I consider it not only unnecessary, but abso- 
lutely detrimental to any scheme which may be advanced, and I 
base my opinion upon the following assertions : that an immense 
amount of teaching requires no ocular demonstration whatever ; 
that a difficulty will be found in the selection of qualified 
teachers capable of rendering a combined scientific and practical 
course of instruction ; that the time required for the supervision 
of a large area of woodland would seriously interfere with class 
teaching ; and that the operations upon a circumscribed area, 
no matter how large, would be stereotyped to a great extent, 
and not invariably yield the ocular instruction required. Drainage, 
for instance, could not be taught on a piecemeal system to suit a 
constant succession of classes; planting and after-ti*eatment must 
be constant to yield instruction, and the area must be large or 
the planting unduly limited, if such a fixed area is to be perma- 
ment. No single area, no matter what size, can contain all the 
elements of instruction required. It must be remembered that 
the process of planting is for a practically permanent purpose, 
and the limit of any area must be sooner or later reached. The 
processes are not annual as in agriculture. 
Now it is beyond dispute that all the branches named can 
be taught in the class-room — that is, practical forestry from a 
theoretical point of view can be taught without outside aid ; 
although the liberty of entering at will large areas of woodland 
would naturally promote the end in view, and assist the professor 
in his teaching. This privilege, however, could no doubt be 
secured by private arrangement, or by utilising the New Forest, 
the Forest of Dean, the woods of Windsor or other Crown 
demesne. 
When this theoretical course has been achieved, the correct 
plan would be for the student (I am assuming that he possesses 
the necessary means and time) to spend a further period with 
some practical forester, and to watch and take part in all the 
operations. He would enter upon the work with an enlightened 
and trained mind, with the power of observation on the alert, 
and emerge from the ordeal a perfect forester. This course of 
study, then, is open to this class of students — is open now ; and 
no State aid, as far as I can see, will advance it, except so far as 
I shall presently show. 
If, however, the working forester is to be educated specially 
for the purpose, this class of education will not meet the case. 
Nothing short of a national forest school, or the teaching of 
the elementary sciences in our national schools, caa possibly 
satisfy the requirement. No private enterprise — at least unas- 
