Opening for Foresters. 17 



who employ well-paid men as "timber-lookers," "estimators" or 

 "cruisers," to perform the work of timber or forest survey, usually 

 with a view to determine the present market value of the woods. 

 That a trained man who sees not only the merchantable stem but also 

 appreciates and is able to report intelligently all features which make 

 up the forest and its wealth, would be more useful than the untrained 

 man, would seem to require no argument. The trained timber survey- 

 or, then, should replace the untrained "timber-looker." 



That this view is beginning to be held by our business men is best 

 illustrated by the following letter received in 1904 from the experienced 

 president of one of the most extensive business organizations in our 

 State : 



"It has been customary in our Mining Department to keep on our 

 force of young men, graduates of the Mining Schools, who commence in 

 humble positions at small salaries, and if they show ability and char- 

 acter, are promoted from time to time, to positions of responsibility. 



"I thought it might be wise to follow out the same thing in 

 connection with our Land Department. Our company controls over a 

 half million acres of forest land. We necessarily have more or less 

 woodsmen constantly employed not only to estimate and look after tres- 

 passers and placing monuments, but we also have work for them in 

 the office, keeping up the record, making maps, etc. 



"Why is it not equally practicable and wise for young graduates 

 from the forestry schools to enter into subordinate positions of this 

 kind, in order that they may gradually grow up into positions of re- 

 sponsibility and management? Of course, to be a woodsman and tim- 

 ber estimator would require lots of time and experience for the gradu- 

 ates of the forestry school, but they would get out into the woods with 

 experienced men, and thus learn general woodcraft and estimating, 

 and I would like to have two or three technically trained young men of 

 this kind, of good general education, also of good character, who had 

 been trained to estimate timber just as well as regular woodsmen, and 

 who could be sent out to do it, or superintend doing it, at any time, 

 Surveying, map making and keeping up the records, would also be in 

 their regular line of work. 



"We are doing considerable work also in the way of road making, 

 and want to do more in that line, so as to improve the roads in our 

 country, and alsato see that the money expended for that purpose by 

 the township officials, is spent in a better and more scientific manner 

 than is generally the case. 



