The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1908-08-27
UNCLE SANS NEW FORfSTERs.

WASHINGTON, ~. w., aug. I4' AHtiS.'
nine young graduates of nine American
Forest Schools have lately received ap-
pointments as Forest Assistants in the
Forest Service and have been assigned
to positions for the present field season.
The new appointees are drawn from
the various Forest Schools as follows:
Yale, IS; Biltmore. 5; University OF
Minnesota, 4; University of Michigan,
4; Michigan Agricultural College, 3;
Harvard, 2; Cornell, /; University OF
Iowa, 1, and University of Nebraska, 1.
They have secured their appointments
as result of passing the regular civil
Service examination, which is the only
avenue to employment as forester
under the Government. In addition 10
these graduates of Forest Schools, tlf-
teen other candidates passed the ex-
animation.
twenty-five of the new appolntees
are already at work on various Nation
al Forests, taking part in their ADMIN
istration, and seventeen have been as
signed to different projects connected
with the technical study of silvlculture.
Forest Assistants are men who nave
completed their preliminary training
for the profession of forestry, as the
graduates of law or medical school
have completed theirs, and are ready to
enter on practical work. Until they
have gained experience in their work,
however, their positions are necessarily
subordinate They are at the foot OF
the ladder, and must prove their fitness
liz order to mount higher. The Govern
ment pays them $1,000 a year at the
start.
On the National Forests the Forest
Assistant often acts as adviser to the
Supervisors in charge, who are western
men experienced in all practical mat
tiers, but usually without school train
ing in the science of forestry. Or they
may be assigned to the study OF some
| particular problem which needs to be
| investigated in the interest of good for
| est management. AS forestry means
knowing how to get the most out OF
any given piece of forest land, it calls
| for studies and experiments, both
scientific and practical, much like those
which have to be made in the interest
of good farming management, and the
Forest Assistant is prepared to do VAL
liable work along this line.
There is a growing interest IN the
profession of forestry now, and many
young men are asking how to get into it
and what it promises. Clifford Pinchot,
the Government Forester, has lately
writtenFbn this subject:
''To be a good forester a man should
combine something of the naturalist
with a good deal OF the business man.
10 know how to use the forest he must
be able to study it. He must have,
therefore, the power of observation, a
fondness for nature, and the ability to
penetrate her secrets. But ii he is to
succeed he must have good practical
judgement and the ability to meet and
handle men. He must be resourceful,
able to stand for himself, will to under
90 the privations of rough life, and
capable of commanding the respect of
rough men, who quickly recognize viz
ility and genuineness of character, but
will not tolerate pretense or the assum-
ption of superiority. A forester needs
a vigorous mind in vigorous body. He
must be of the kind that likes to get
things done, and does not give up when
things are not going his way. He will
have to face difficulties and work out
problems far from outside help, reply
ing solely upon himself. He ought to
be hard to whip
"The professional forester cannot
hope for big fees and certain pleasant
surroundings of life which crown dis
tinguished success in some other pro-
fessions. The first prizes which are be-
slowed upon the great lawyer the emf
nent physician, are not yet open to
him, He must be content without
much luxury; he will have to spend
good deal of time out of reach OF the
ordinary comforts. He must be able
and willing to rough it without COM
plaintiff sleep on hard beds, eat home
ly fare, endure prolonged exertion and
get along with plain people. On the
other hand, if he is at all fitted for his
profession-and few weeks of actual
forest work or good summer school
work will tell him whether he is or not
there is open to him very rich re-
ward; life in the open, in the midst of
beautiful, healthful and congenial sur
roundings, creative work of unmatched
usefulness in any material field, place
of large responsibility and dignity, and
with it all fair living.
eff the foresters temperament is
scientific he will have the joy of the
discoverer and organizer of knowledge
in rich and almost virgin field, while
if it be practical he will have the
chance of sharing in national work of