"TH

HE object of the Pennsylvania Forestry Association shall be to secure and maintain a due proportion of forest area throughout the State; to disseminate information concerning the growth, protection and utilization of forests; to show the great evil resulting from forest tribution of the available water supplies, the destruction, in the decrease and unequal disimpoverishment of soil, the injury to various industries, and the change in the climate; to secure the enactment by the legislature of such laws, and the enforcement of the same, as shall tend to increase and pre

serve the forests of the State."

Will not our members help by securing additional members?

The Annual Dues are $3.00.

Life Membership $25.00.

Perpetual Membership $100.00.

PENNSYLVANIA FORESTRY

ASSOCIATION,

1012 Walnut Street, Philadelphia.

Gentlemen:

Association

Yours very truly,

Enclosed find $...

FORM OF BEQUEST.

I give and bequeath to the Pennsylvania Forestry Association the sum of.... . . . . .

Vol. XVII-No. 10

I'

EDITORIAL.

T is not many years since an important educational institution sensed the growing demand for instruction in practical forestry, and honestly purposed providing to meet that demand.

While the subject was being discussed one of the officials most active in the work was asked, "Where is your forestry faculty?" He replied, "We will take a number of the members of the present faculty, stand them up against the wall and say, 'There is our faculty!' The reply

was based on an honest belief that all the instruction necessary could be given without special training by an average college faculty.

Forestry in this country has already become so specialized, so exact in detail, and with so many points of contact with other great interests that it ranks as a profession of the first order. No education falling short in any necessary direction can be considered as sufficient.

Here is the standard set by the Pennsylvania State College: "The course in Forestry is professional in character. Its aim is to train men for government, State and private forestry work, and for the lumber industry. The complete forestry course is covered in four years of college work. The theoretical principles of forestry are studied at the college and their practical application is made in the woods at the close of the Freshman and Sophomore years, and the last two months of the Senior year are spent in practical forest work in the woods."

A careful study of the curriculum as given in the catalogue shows a student requires for entrance a good high school course, or must pass an examination.

One would like to make extended report upon the curriculum itself, but lack of space forbids. It can be said, however, that it involves careful training in botany, zoology, geology, chemistry, mathematics (which includes actual mensuration of land areas and topographical surveying) dendrology, silviculture, tree diseases, economic history, seeding and planting, wood technology, political economy, forest law, lumber and its uses, milling and marketing, forest management, farm

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wood lot, French, or German, or Spanish, rhetoric, expression and physical education.

All of the above is admirable. The Pennsylvania Forestry Association spent a delightful day (June 24th) in the Forestry Camp of the State College. Every provision was made there for the practical application of the principles taught in the classroom. The tract itself, situated on the boundary line between Clinton and Centre Counties, contains, it is said, about 14,000 acres. Queen Christina, of Spain, had at one time a certain interest in it, though she never was the actual owner. From it during the early days, Washington furnace derived its supply of charcoal. The forest cover is already of good size. The last cutting was twenty years ago and then down only to an eight inch diameter. The trees are of the usual middle Pennsylvania species. Fishing Creek and some of its tributary streams flow through the valley. The topographic features of the entire region are among the most attractive of this State.

One may, without exaggeration, say that a spot so secluded yet so accessible, should belong to the State. The public demand for such outing grounds is too insistent to be longer overlooked. The public servant who cannot recognize this fact has not sufficient vision for his post. Now is the time to secure for public use such scenic parks. They will not be available much longer.

At the time of our visit the tract was being used for practical instruction, not only by the College Forestry students, but by the students of other departments. In fact, that tract is indispensable to the State College, and should be secured as a portion of its equipment for educational purposes. The Forest School at Mont Alto is in the heart of a great State forest reserve, and it is hardly fair that the State College School should be obliged to give its forestry instruction on private property.

Very much more might be said in this connection, but one should not leave unsaid this fact: The State of Pennsylvania can purchase that tract now at a reasonable price; use it as a ground upon which the State College students may round out their professional education, and if tired of the ownership may at any time after the next ten years sell it for more than it cost