THE SCHOOL OF FORESTRY

In view of the increasing number of men interested in the movement for the conservation of natural resources, and particularly in the technical knowledge connected with forestry, an account of the facilities offered by the Forest School, including courses in Forestry given at Cambridge and practical lumbering instruction given at the Harvard Forest at Petersham, is given below.

The Forest School has been greatly strengthened during the present academic year by the addition to the teaching staff of Austin Cary, Lecturer on Lumbering and Forest Engineering, and Edward E. Carter, Assistant Professor of Forestry. These two men possess, in addition to marked ability in special fields of technical work, a comprehensive and intimate acquaintance with the organization and management of the lumber business and the National Forest Service, the two great fields in which foresters find employment.

Mr. Cary used to be an assistant professor in the School, but he resigned in June, 1909, to become State Forester of New York. He originated the course which he is now giving. As a teacher in the field his qualifications are unique. His practical experience has been greater than that of any other forester, and his helpfulness to his students has been shown time and again by the excellent records they have in lumbering in the government examinations.

Mr. Carter came to the School from the Forest Service where he occupied the position of Assistant Forester. Owing to his marked executive ability and technical efficiency he had shared since 1907 with Mr. W. T. Cox the responsible position of directing the timber sales and silvicultural work on the National Forest Reserves. The other teachers in the department are Assistant Professor Richard T. Fisher, who is chairman of the Division of Forestry, Professor Edward C. Jeffrey, Assistant Professor J. G. Jack, Mr. Charles T. Brues, and Mr. Irving W. Bailey.

The professional course in Forestry offered by the Forest School is now a well-balanced one and aims to make its students familiar with the theoretical principles of forestry and their application, and to give them substantial experience in logging and the lumber business. The course is particularly designed to meet the increasing demand on the part of the National and State Forest Service, the lumber companies, and private individuals for men of technical training in forestry who are sufficiently familiar with the lumber business to aid in solving the problems of the conservative management of forest property. For admission to the School the degree of A.B. or S.B. from a college or scientific school of good standing is required, and in addition a comprehensive training in the sciences, mathematics, mechanical drawing and economics. During the first year in the School the student confines himself to the study of technical and theoretical forestry, surveying, and other fundamental subjects. In the second year the student applies the knowledge thus gained to practical problems at the Harvard Forest and at Corbin's Park in New Hampshire, and secures experience and familiarity with logging methods and the lumber business.

The field equipment of the Forest School is admirably adapted to this work. The Harvard Forest at Petersham comprises 2,000 acres of pine and hard woods. In managing the forest the policy of the school is to carry on regular logging operations and other woods work, and to handle its operations in such manner that they shall be financially successful and demonstrate the application of technical forestry methods under American conditions. The students work with the woods crew during a part of the logging season, and each class follows one operation in all places from the woods to the market. In addition to this experimental field, the School has secured the use of Corbin's Park in New Hampshire, a larger tract of 20,000 acres, as a practice field for forest surveying and timber estimating. Other facilities for the study of large logging and milling operations have been secured by the School through the courtesy of numerous lumber companies in Maine, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania.

An encouraging feature is the fact that the lumbermen of Boston have displayed during the past year a keen interest in the school, and have helped financially in obtaining the services of Mr. Cary and Assistant Professor Carter. The increasing interest displayed by lumbermen in matters of conservative forest management was clearly demonstrated not long ago at a banquet arranged by the Visiting Committee of the Harvard Forest School, the Massachusetts Wholesale Lumber Association, and the Lumber Trade Club in behalf of the School, Ex-President Theodore Roosevelt '80 and other noted speakers and about 250 lumbermen were present at this dinner.

An opportunity for undergraduates interested in forestry to secure information in regard to this profession and to meet men who are engaged in forestry work is afforded by the activity of the Forestry Club. This club has recently been reorganized in order to secure a membership of undergraduates as well as graduates. Fortnightly meetings will be arranged during the remaining winter months. The club will endeavor to secure at each meeting a speaker who will explain some interesting phase of a forester's work. The officers of the club are: president, K. M. Clark '11; vice-president, J. R. Coolidge, 3d, '10; secretary-treasurer, R. C. Staebner '11