The Yale expositor., 1909-06-25

Following the movement of the
larger part of the executive force OF
the forest service from Washington
into the field, and the division of the
western country into six forest dis
tricts. each in charge of a district for
ester. the practical management OF
Uncle Sans forests on a business
basis is being pushed forward even
more effectively than heretofore. Only
the general administrative heads OF
the service and the men engaged in
government forestry work in the east
ern part of the country retain their
headquarters in Washington.
For the better administration of the
194,500.000 acres of national forest
land, this vast territory is divided into
149 national forests, each in charge
Of a forest supervisor. In all cases
the supervisor is selected for his wide
practical knowledge of the west. and
of numbering and grazing particularly.
He may or may not be a trained for
ester. If not a trained forester him
self, he has such a man to assist him
visor and his technical aids to bring
their forest gradually to condition
of maximum productiveness. To do
this requires a great deal of detailed
study and skillful planning. Each
step, from the care and protection of
the young growth to the numbering of
the mature forest, must be carefully
ftt1l
If the forest is to go on producing
trees indefinitely.
For each of the many lines Of work
to be carried on in the forest men
with special experience are required.
Those who prepare and tend the nur-
series must be experienced in raising
and caring for young trees. The lum-
herman who cruises and estimates
timber helps to plan logging opera
tions, and sees that the scaling is cor
rectly done. and that the rules for
logging are properly observed. must
be an experienced and capable woods
man.
The forest ranger patrols his dis
trict of the forest to see that fire and
trespass are prevented, that the range
Is not overgrazed that logging regu-
lations are enforced, and that the
privileges granted by permit for the
use of the various forest resources are
not abused; he also must be hard
headed. practical and thoroughly hon.
est, an able-bodied citizen of the west,
with plenty of experience in all the
problems with which he may have to
deal
The trained foresters are usually
forest school graduates. Their train
ing is somewhat parallel to that of the
civil engineer. but particular attention
is paid to the study of botany. TO the
life and growth of forests. and to all
that affects their development and
usefulness.
In addition to his scientific training
the American trained forester must
have abundant practical experience in
the woods, on the range and In the
mills. for he must have a thorough un.
derstanding of all conditions before
attempting to work out a system of
good business management OF any for.
est.
For the general administration OF
the national forests. the western half
of the United States is divided into
six districts. with headquarters at Mis-
soula. Mont; Denver, Col; Albuquer.
que. N. M; Ogden. Utah; San Fran
cisco, and Portland. Ore.
The object of the forest service Is
to foster proper use Of the forest re-
sources of the country. including pri.
vate and state. as well as national
forests. On the latter every resource
is for use in the best interests OF all
citizens of the United States. Every
waterpower site, every piece of min
eral land, every bit of grazing land OF
OF good agricultural land is for use,
provided II is not required for public
purposes.