COMMENTS OX KXF.IPP'S PAPER 551 



there is any superiority in this regard, of one over another, as between 

 technical and non-technical men, it is that in the case of the trained 

 foresters enough love of the forests and remembrance of the field will 

 persist to get some of the expenditures actually into field-work. With- 

 out this leaven it seems really possible that in time the mill might come 

 to grind the same grist over and over, or that enough material could be 

 gathered in summer field trips to make unnecessary any permanent 

 employcvss in the field. 



Of course, the fact is that much office work must always be done. 

 Otherwise the best methods of doing work cannot be spread among 

 many men, and the work of one man cannot be made available for his 

 successor to build upon. Working up timber surveys and numerous 

 other field data requires a surprisingly large amount of unavoidable 

 office work on maps and. to a minor degree, on reports. Here is where 

 the writer got overwhelmingly better results from trained men. With 

 these on his force it was possible to throw the entire force, except one 

 or two clerks, into the field in the best field season, and draw all but 

 one or two rangers into the office when no field-work could be done 

 efficiently. The result was that the total loss of time for bad weather 

 was not more than five to ten days annually for the entire force. On 

 every other forest where he has been stationed, including one year on a 

 grazing forest in Montana, large losses of time for bad weather oc- 

 curred. Many members of the permanent force were of no use in the 

 office, and simply stayed in the field looking after occasional items of 

 business with the public, most of which could have been done by cor- 

 respondence, and all by- trips at intervals of a month or more. The 

 result was somewhat as related to me by one ranger, who was stationed 

 for three months at a certain location where a cabin was to be con- 

 structed. During this time five days were suitable for outside work, 

 whicli he performed and charged to the improvement fund for con- 

 struction of the cabin. The remaining time was spent waiting for better 

 weather and charged to the general expense fund! Of course, just as 

 poor use can be made of technical men ; but it is unnecessary on a prop- 

 erly organized forest, especially where field-work is performed rather 

 ahead of immediate demands. 



(2) The second necessity for technical men on the forests is e(|ually 

 urgent. Few men can properly judge (|uality and quantity of field- 

 work who have not had ample experience themselves. Kmployment of 

 technical nn-n in numbers forms an amjile reservoir from which to 

 secure men riualified by experience for higher positions. Tf the higher 

 ])ositions are not filled by professional foresters and such other pro- 



