54 Forestry Quarterly. 



ferred — as far as possible each Oberforster is left to "paddle his 

 own canoe". The central office is, therefore largely an inspect- 

 ing one. The Oberforstmeister aims to visit each of the 22 or 

 23 Forests in his Bezirk once each year. His assistants each 

 have a certain number of Forests (usually 7, constituting an 

 "Inspection District") assigned to them which they are supposed 

 to visit (inspect) four or five times each year. 



Thus the Oberforster is given free rein and a large authority 

 commensurate to his mature years and ample experience. For- 

 merly an Oberforster was left for many years in one place — now 

 the tendency is toward more frequent changes, a tendency which 

 is heartily deplored among the field force, both high and low. 



Where changes are too frequent there is no opportunity for the 

 individual to leave his stamp — be it favorable or unfavorable — on 

 the Forest he controlled. 



When a vacancy occurs the fact is immediately advertised in 

 different papers and the date up to which applications will be 

 accepted is stated. The applicants are given preference accord- 

 ing to length of service and standing — other things being equal 

 the oldest man in length of service, gets it ; for, as in our army, 

 promotion is by age more than by achievements. 



A Prussian Oberforster usually is monarch over some 10,000 

 acres — more in the Eastern Provinces, less in the Western. This 

 is divided for purposes of administration into Schutzbezirke 

 (Districts) of say 2,000 acres each — under the control of a 

 Forster (Ranger). Where the work is heavy the Ranger is 

 assisted by a Forstaufseher (Assistant Ranger) or for simpler 

 tasks, by a Hilfsjager (Forest Guard). Foresters who have 

 served long and ably are given the honorary title of Hegemeister 

 just as after about twelve years the Oberforster becomes a Forst- 

 meister. Where the Ranger District is outlying and therefore 

 impossible of immediate control by the Oberforster, it is given to 

 a Revier Forster (District Ranger) who, for his large responsi- 

 bilities, is granted an additional 450 marks ($187.50) per annum. 

 At present there are 208 Revier Forster — two of them are "Ver- 

 waltende Revier Forster" — i. e. have practically the authority of 

 an Oberforster. These are stationed on Forests too small to 

 warrant the employment of an Oberforster. 



As in the case of his superior officer, when vacancies occur in 



