780 JOURNAI, OF I^ORESTRY 



The ranger handles the work directly, having foremen, scalers, and 

 markers under him. He keeps tab on wages, scaling, etc., and sends 

 in pay lists and reports to the division's office for approval, which in 

 turn sends in summaries to the Chief Forester's office. 



The companies try as much as possible to have permanent forces 

 of workmen who occupy dwellings and farms in dififerent parts of the 

 woods, being under contracts which, while giving them certain ad- 

 vantages, also guarantee the company a fixed minimum number of 

 days labor. As can be conceived from this the manager is constantly 

 confronted with a multitude of matters concerning house repair, con- 

 struction, farming, and providing the workmen's needs. As the com- 

 panies own certain tracts of country outright, these managers are 

 sometimes like little kings, having power direct and indirect, social 

 and otherwise, more than is healthy for the average mortal. While 

 a wise manager can do a lot of good and holds a fitting position for 

 European conditions— where the shades of feudalism have not departed 

 so long ago — still a man unsuited to the place can cause a great deal 

 of unpleasantness and to a "strictly neutral" observer, the causes of 

 Bolshevism are not hard to find. 



As to the small woodlots owned by peasant folk, these are not as 

 a rule well handled, and have been ravaged a good deal in the past to 

 bring immediate returns to their owners. In this respect the Govern- 

 ment regulations have done a world of good. But the people in general 

 are really interested in forestry; the forester's doings are seldom un- 

 duly criticized as he is considered "the doctor" in his special line. A 

 good evidence of the interest in the welfare of the woods shown by the 

 people, is the matter of forest fires ; they are held as a public calamity. 



I remember how, one day, during a dry storm in the hay season in 

 Varmland, the lightning struck on a mountain side, causing a little 

 cloud of sm,oke to rise above the trees. Although, owing to damp 

 weather, there was no particular danger, an alarm was set up by all 

 who had observed the smoke, and at once a regular stampede took 

 place toward that distant spot. From the noise and energy displayed 

 it seemed the poor fire must die of fright. Forest fire insurance under 

 those conditions is not such an uncertain proposition. 



TH^ Fire law^ 



The fire protection law includes a clause appointing a fire warden 

 in each community of a certain size, held responsible for all matters 



