I have spoken of a virgin forest to be subjected to the forest regime. But there are other cases, some or all of which much more frequently exercise the skill of the forest administrator. It may be required of him to subject such a forest to the coppice wood regime, or a coppice wood to the timber forest regime, or a forest which has been subject to the timber forest regime to the coppice wood regime, or a mixed coppice and timber forest to either a simple timber forest or a simple coppice wood regime, or to convert a timber forest or coppice wood into such a mixed coppice and timber forest, or a forest which has been treated by Jardinage into simple coppice, into mixed forest and coppice, or into simple timber forest, or a timber forest or coppice, or one which has been subjected to exploitation according to La Methodea tire et aire} into one or other of these conditions — all with a view to subsequent exploitation according to the Fachwerke Method, or Methode des Co mpartiments.
All such operations afford scope — more ample scope than does the hypothetical case previously supposed, for the exercise of the forester's skill, but instructions are given in many of the Schools of Forestry — for example, in the school at Nancy, in France— in regard to what should be done in each and all of the cases mentioned; and these instructions are simply appropriate applications to each case of the general principles an exposition of which has been given.
In the instructions given, as in instructions given in a school of surgery, of medicine, or of law, all that is done, and all that can be done, is to demonstrate and establish general principles, with illustrations of their applicability, and of their application to certain definite cases, instructing, educating, and training the student, and sending him forth to exercise his common sense, his judgment, and his skill, as occasion may demand, and circumstances may warrant or permit.
Under the antiquated modes of exploitation, Jardinage, and exploitation according to La Methode a tire et aire> the former still practised in several British colonies, the latter in its most imperfect form in some parts of Russia, and in some parts of Scotland, explicit rules could be laid down for the guidance of woodmen and foresters. Under the more advanced Continental forest economy of the day general principles of procedure are evolved; and the teachers of this forest economy, as do the teachers of law, surgery, and the practice of medicine, say we must leave the application of our instruction to the skill of the practitioner. The legal practitioner whose advice is asked may say, the law is so-and-so; but I must see the documents before I can give an opinion, for, the case being altered, that alters this case. The medical or surgical practitioner whose advice is asked may say, the general principles applicable to the case are so-and-so; but so much depends on circumstances that some medical man must see the case before a prescription can be given. And so is it with the expounders and practitioners of the advanced forest economy of the day. They say, these are the principles upon which we proceed, but each particular case requires its own peculiar application or mode of application of them. And this, which may seem to be to its disparagement, is considered by many, and considered justly, to speak its excellence.
In regard to this method of exploitation, which I consider that required in the primitive forests existing in some of our colonial possessions to ensure their conservation, profitable exploitation, and natural reproduction, I have given additional illustrations in a volume entitled French Forest Ordinance of 1669; with Historical Sketch of
Previous Treatment of Forests in France* (pp. 45-47); and in Introduction to the Study of Modern Forest Economy^ (pp. 165- 186).
In the latter I have embodied the following extracts from a paper read by Captain (now Lieutenant-Colonel) Campbell- Walker before the Otago Institute in Dunedin, New Zealand, on December 21, 1876, entitled State Forestry: its Aim and Object He says in regard to the way in which operations are initiated in Germany and France: —