230 WOMEN AND FORESTRY 



remain : for admittedly there, there exists certain work, 

 felling, fencing, draining, and so on, which requires a 

 muscular physique and great stamina. But there is 

 plenty of other work in the beautiful woods which 

 women can undertake. Those of you who have any 

 acquaintance with the forests of Germany, France, or 

 other Continental nations must often have met women 

 at work in the woods. I doubt however whether you 

 have often done so in this country, save perhaps 

 collecting a bundle of dead sticks or picking black- 

 berries. 



But there is plenty of work for the women. To 

 start with we will follow our young four-year-old plant 

 to its new destination. It arrives at the area on which 

 it is to be planted. If the work is properly done it 

 will be planted in a hole made with a spade of some 

 shape or other. The work of preparing the holes is 

 usually the work of a man, because the soil on which 

 plantations are usually made is often heavy, may be 

 stony, and may have masses of roots in it. This is 

 heavy labour requiring, for a long day's work, the 

 digging of a thousand holes we will say, a man's 

 stamina and strength. But the planting of the plants 

 in the holes, the filling in the thousand holes made by 

 the man, can be as well done by the woman or girl. 

 It is not heavy work, but according as to how it is done 

 will depend the after success or otherwise of the planta- 

 tion. This is one job then that women can assist in 

 out in the woods. The sowing of acorns in patches and 

 lines direct in the woods can also be done by women. 

 We will still remain with our newly planted tree. 

 During the first year or two of its life it will have to 



