FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 55 



work to decide whether or not the profession is a fitting one. One or two 

 seasons of field and office work usually suffices to decide this point. Then, 

 as a rule, if still seriously inclined, the person is advised to take up a 

 regular course of training in a forest school. The position of student 

 assistant is in no way a stepping-stone to the higher positions in the pro- 

 fession, but forms a part only of the training useful in fitting one for the 

 higher work. 



The salary paid is very nominal — 125 per month for field work, and .$40 

 per month for office work. The fitness of the applicant for appointment 

 depends on two conditions ; that he is thinking seriously of taking up 

 forestry as a profession and that in a-ge, physical condition and general 

 training he is well equipped for the duties of student assistant and to 

 profit by his work. Other things being equal, the preference of appoint- 

 ment is given to men with college or other academic training. Otherwise, 

 applications for this position are considered in the order in which they are 

 received. 



THE FUTURE IN FORESTRY. 



The immediate future in forest work gives unexampled opportunities. 



As we look forward to the work, the chance for progress stands out as 

 it never stood out in this country before. The opportunity is broaden- 

 ing in a way that seemed impossible a few years ago. The openings in 

 the different lines of forest work are far wider than we can use. 



People are asking now, all over the country, what ought to be done 

 in forest work. The time of the vague feeling that something ought to 

 be done has gone by, and the specific demand for a specific thing is here; 

 and it is our business to answer it. This is the great fact in the situation. 

 As a people, we are ready for forestry. 



There are two or three special things which we are all striving for, 

 and that must be brought about in the near future if our opportunity is 

 to be used to the full. One of them is the unification of the forest work 

 of the government. We are all glad that the prospect for heartier coopera- 

 tion between the three organizations that are occupied in forest work 

 is better than it ever has been before; that such cooperation has just 

 now actually begun in a new way; and that the prospect for the immediate 

 future is that we shall all unite with new strength and new effectiveness 

 at the old task. 



For the sake of those who may not be perfectly familiar with the uni- 

 fication of government forest work referred to here, I will say that this 

 unification contemplates the consolidation in the agricultural depart- 

 ment bureau of forestry, both the division of forestry in the general land 

 office which administers the national forest reserve, and also the division 

 of forestry in the United States geological survey, an office engaged 

 chiefiy in the classifying of forest lands in the same reserves. 



Another of the essentials for the future is the extension of the forest- 

 reserve system. That may be said to be the first great need of forest 

 work in this country at present. We are coming to it with an under- 

 standing and with facts that we have never had before. Wherever there 

 are alienated lands, we can locate forest reserve with absolute knowledge 

 of how much lien land selection will be entailed. Of course, you know 



