Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1909-05-05
THE FOREsTER's WORK.
Requirements of tho Service-Speciai
Adaptability.

ice Oh inc SeFNlcc -SPoNs''A
Adaptability.
| Thirty-nine young graduates OF nine
American fo-est schools have lately re-
ceived appointments 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, eighteen; Biltmore, five; univer-
| sity of Minnesota, fouri University OF
| Michigan Agricultural College, three;
| Harvard, two; Cornell, one; University
of Iowa, one; ana University of New
| braska, one. They have secured their
appoints as result of passing the regular
civil service examination, which is the
only avenue to employment as forester
under the government. In addition
to these graduates Of forest schools,
fifteen other candidates passed the ex-
| animation,
Twenty-Five of the new appointees are
already at work ON various national for
ests, taxing part in their administration,
and seventeen have been assigned to diff
ferent projects connected with the techni-
cal STUDY VI TOEtst dcsAsh-
ants are ruen who have completed their
preliminary training for the profession of
forestry, as the graduates of law or med
ical school have completed theirs, and are
ready to enter on practi cal 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 fines in or
der to mount higher. The government
pays them 81 900 year at the start.
On the national forests the forest assist
ant often acts as adviser to the supervisors
in charge, who are western men expert
enced in all practical matters, but usually
without school training 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 forest 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 seien-
tific and practical, much like those which
have to be made in the interest of good
farm management, and the forest assistant
is prepared to do valuable work along this
line.
There is growing interest in the pro-
fession of forestry now, and many young
men are asking how to get into it and
what it promises. Clifford Pinchott, the
government forester, has lately written on
this subject:
ITO be good forester man should
combine netting of the naturalist with
a good deal of the business man. To know
how to use the forest he must be able to
study it. He must have, therefore, the
power of observation, a fondness for ma
ture and the ability to penetrate her Sec
rets. But if he is to succeed he must also
have good practical judgment and the
ability to meet and handle men.
''He must be resourceful, able to stand
by himself, willing to undergo the priva
tions of rough life and capable of COM
manding the respect of rough men, who
quickly recognize virility and genuine
ness of character, but will not tolerate
pretense or the assumption of superiority.
A forester needs vigorous mind in a
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, |
relying solely upon himself. He ought |
to be hard to whip.
1.-THE professional forester cannot hope |
for big fees and certain pleasant surround |
ings of life which crown distinguished !
success in some other professions. The |
first prizes which are bestowed upon the !
great lawyer, the eminent 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 complaint,
to sleep on hard beds, eat homely fare,
endure prolonged exertion and get along
with plain people.
.'On the other hand, if he is at all fitted
for his protession-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 reward.
life in the open, in the midst of beautiful,
healthful and congenial surroundings,
creative work of unmatched usefulness in
any material field, place of large re-
sponsibility and dignity, and with it all
fair living.
''If the forester's temperament is scien-
tiic he will have the joy of the discover
and organizer of knowledge in rich and
almost virgin field, while if il be practical
he will have the chance of sharing in a
national work of prime importance to our
people both now and hereafter.