The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1900-11-13

ties Of Candidates. for Federal Places.
Our government has the unique dis,inc-
ton of opening up a new profession TO
the college-bred young man OF the day.
and IL is SO popular that more than sixty
have taken advantage Of the generosity
OF Uncle Sam and spent the past summer
under expert instruction. These are the
studeE. assistants of the division OF for
estry. The demand for competent men in
that department has become SO great in
The past few years, while the supply Is so
small. that the government has resorted
10 this measure for supplying its needs.
As most of these men would go into more
active professions where they would likely
make a small living frCm the start, the
government generously pays them S25 a
month and al living expenses while IN
the field during the time they spend in
learning the profession. During the past
sumner they have all been at work In the
forests OF various States under the super
vision of trained foresters, with results OF
marked value to the division, chiefly i'm
the preparation OF working plans and the
study of commercial trees. No life could
better suit true sportsman, for naturally
the students in camp get a fair amount OF
both fishing and hunting, and one OF the
principal attributes Of the student of for
estTy is a wholesome love OF rod and gun.
During the past summer these young
.1ea were with government parties in The
Adirondacks. Washington. and Maine, and
'ospecting for the new park that the
Congress may purchase In the South
Ii
camp life falls TO their lot. and Il is given
out by the department that they enter
into all tasks with the greatest possible
zest Though many OF the men enter tho
profession on account of the crowded con-
dition of the older ones and in hope Of a
good government living in future IL is not
long until they love a tree for its own
sake, and a genuine bit of sentiment cir
cles about every forest beauty. No one is
received as a student OF forestry who has
hot definitely made UP his mind to take up
forestry as a profession. although OF
course no pledge to that effect is required.
Work Of the Forester.
In speaking of the new profession. Mr.
Pinchote the forester of the Agricultural
Department OF the government said:
Almost the entire land surface of the
United States Is included In the possible
field of work for the forester How ex-
tensive this field Is, will appear from the
fact that the woodland in farms alone. In
$780, comprised more than 20o,0O0,O0 acres,
or more than four times the area of the
national forest reserves. While the gov
eminent is steadily adding to its holdings.
the Department of Agriculture through
the division of forestry. is brought In
touch with the owners of private forests
in thirty-ive different States. covering an
area of 10000 acres. This is the result
OF an offer made in 1898 to give advice and
assistance to private owners In handling
their woodlands. The preparation OF
working plans for these tracts and The
supervision of their execution is now one
of the most important branches of the di-
vision Of forestry, and IL is along this line
that the student assistant is of most value
and gets his best training. Living, usu-
ally, In lumber camps, these young stu
dents keep the same hours as the men.
and often on the testimony OF the latter,
do the harder work. The man who takes
up forestry as profession will often ma
the field work exceedingly hard. for IL is
a combination of bodily and mental work,
rrder conditions which make each one
peculiarly trying. He should possess a
strong body, a contented spirit. and hardi-
hood 70 fit him for the rough life or n
lumber camp. There is no more peTni-
cious character than grumbler In camp,
while nothing so helps In getting Held
work done as the willingness to bear Pill
walton with sense OF humOr ana good
fellowship. A forester naturally gets
certain amount OF hunting and hsnins,
and while the line between sport and
work is closely drawn, II Is believed mat
a forester will attend to the routine duties
the better fer a wholesome love OF rod ana
gun.
Iiow 20 Become Forester.
1.-THE preparation for the profession OF
forester should as a rule, begin with a
college or university course, and should
be continued after graduation for few
years. The only means a student has OF
knowing whether he really wants 10 adopt
the profession or not Is TO go into the
field. and this is the line Of work that the
division OF forestry opens up TO the stu
dent assistant In addition to the specific
advantage this grade offers In enabling a
man TO take part in actual forest work
under a trained forester, and so discover
what the profession really means. II has
a special usefulness in enabling men who
cannot afford fuller preparation TO sup
port themselves while getting their edu-
cation II must not be construed that this
replaces a forestry school with advan-
tage. nor Is 1t the intention that IL should.
No future forester who can AFFORD IL
should fail TO take advantage OF a course
IA some well-establlshed school OF fOres-
try About the best systematic course for
the new forester 10 pursue Is one year at
a university, year al forestry school,
where practical work in the
woods goes hand In hand with theoretical
and a year abroad. The lat
ter is, in my opinion, OF the greatest pos
sible value. as 1t gives an experience in
region where forestry Is OF old date. and
in this country, forestry Is too young 10
show the effect of silvicultural treatment
on the various kinds OF forests
ION its executive side. forestry is more
closely allied 70 numbering than any other
calling, and a good knowledge OF the
methods Is essential 10 a
field work that gives the best zest TO the
calling.
The finaHeiaI Returns.
Asked II there was a promising future
In the profession financially Prof. Pin
CHOte Edlls n sfd4NtA forester receives
about the same pay as professors and In
structors at Yale. Those In the division
Of forestry receive from 81 90 70 $500 a
year. while there Is no limit Ia the sala-
ries that may be had from great lumber
ing concerns, such as the International
Paper Company. which controls more
than 10, $4,000 acres Of spruce lands, and
from mining companies. owners OF game
parks, as well as owners OF large private
areas. such As BiltmOre forest. IN North
Carolina, the Ee-Ha-sa-Se Park In the
owned By Mr.. w. Seward
Webb. and the one adjoining. belonging 10
William G. Whitney. The forest interests
OF a number Of States all need trained
fOresters."
To show the general interest awakened
In forestry, New Ravens (cosaJ patrl-
otto citizens have induced the mayor OF
that town TO appoint COMMITTEES OF citl-
zens 20 look into ths cause Of the decay
~ the TIfaE that have made the l.zgn