New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-10-30
rur school or FORESTRY.

THE NfHOOL Of lOhi'f "''
w his annual report Just made public PrcSl-
don, Schurman Of Cornell University Is aDie
70 sov that the first years work OF the S'Hooi
- Forestry has shown gratifying results under
circumstances which, naturally enough were
NOT entirely favorable. This novel INSTITUTION,
it'll ,. established on the initiative ana
under the patronage of the state, deserves 10
enlist The interest Of the people, Tor 'h'4c 10
scarcely any field Of knowledge which has been
- mnch neglected in this country or when
orqht 10 he more diligently cultivated Inc
sorest wealth of the United States has been so
roshly sonandercd that even If the processes OF
,.o,,.,oss 1estruction were 10 be stopped AT once
+ho rrocnsses of restoration would inevitably
have to ha instituted sooner or later 10 supply
,hc requirements of the future II DIX
has heen not less seriously dfSpoilcd than many
other States. her citizens are at least lus'ih''
in concentrating themselves that here punic
oninion has not been invoked in vain in dcf'h'o
Of what is left The Forest Preserve already
embraces large and rich domain. when j.
rip,dlv protected against cncroachm"n ana
spolation by this explicit section or ne 'on-
stitution:
The lands Of the State, now owned or here
after acquired. constituting the Forest reserve
wild forest lands They shall not he lcaSru'
sold or exchanged. or be taken by any corpora
tion public or private nor shan me ''''"'
thereon be sold, removed or destroyed
If this were final declaration of the states
policy concerning its forests il would be IRA
tiona and deplorablc The way 10 preserve
forest is TO cultivate. not neglect to make II
= source of revenue while maintaining all its
utilities. But that fact was not lost sight OF
hv the intelligent men who pressed the fore
going amendment upon the Convention OF lN''f'
Their conviction was that until public opinion
had heon 80 instructed aud solidifcd as to con
stitutc "A controlling force in favor OF forest
preservation il was unsafe 10 intrusi interests
Of such magnitude to the legislative and al
minlStratvc agencies of The State They were
able To- cite a long and disastrous experience
i'm support of their contention. and they finally
prevailed upon the Convention 10 adopt th'T
view II must be- ACKNOWLEDGED that the amend
ment did not find universal favor among those
whose opinion is entitled to respect. but during
fine last five wears we have not observed many
Indications that it, adoption is diSinteresiedly
regretted. During that interval the Forest Pre-
serve has been largely increased and fully pro-
fcctcd against waste and irospasS, and il is
hardly possible 10 doubt that intelligent interest
i'm the subject has been greatly extended
Hut the amendment should be regarded rather
aS "A temporary expcdicnt than as iinaliy.
That is the way in which it was regarded 10y lis
original PROMOTERS who doubtless believed that
tho time would come when il could lie safely
modified i'm accordance with the principles ~
scientific forestry Moreover two years ago
the LEGISLATURE wisely resolved 10 hasten that
1av Inv rrovidino for thcOrctical ana pracfi nj
instruction in those principles under ih" dlrrc-
ton Of Cornell The university having prompt
" accepted tie opportunity. The state made IN
approiriation for instruction at Ithaca. aud de-
voted a further sum to the acquisition Of a tract
Of thirty thor~and acres In the Adirondacks OF
which the use has been assigned 10 Cornell for
period Of thirty wears With This equipment
hcennlng has been made and President
! Schurman finds much encouragement in ihe
record Of work accomplished both In th" class
room and in the field during the first year. The
university has been most hospitahlc to It's new
! dcpartmcnt but II has been unable 20 provide
a suitable home for the School Of Forestry
from which il derives no financial benefit. and
The hope is that The state Will supply The de-
| Gcicpcv. In consideration Of hurried preNara
lions and of the fact that the DEMONSTRATION
area in the AdlrondackS had not been trans
foYrcd at the beginning OF the academic veal
q large Attendance YVES not encouraged but The
class rolls i'm the forestry course included thirty
ono thlrtv.fvc ana fifteen students in the fan
winter AMI spring terms respectively. From
such start results honorable TO Cornell an'
permanently useful 70 the state may be hope
fully predicted.