WAR'S DESTRUCTION OF BRITISH FORESTS 



1039 



and better educated women. Further, it was found that 

 the supervision of this class of worker was somewhat 

 costly, as initiative so necessary in land work was almost 

 entirely lacking. 



"A problem which had a considerable influence on the 

 efficiency of these workers was the question of dress. It 

 was found that ordinary foot wear was quite unsuitable, 

 and experiments were made with clogs, high boots, leg- 

 gings, etc., and finally it was decided that stout boots 

 and leggings we're the most useful. The ordinary apparel 



STRENGTH REQUIRED FOR THIS LABOR 



It was found that women could stand harder work than was anticipated 

 and it is apparent the labor was far from light. 



of the women was found to be unsuited for wet weather, 

 and experiments were made with waterproof skirts, which 

 were not, however, found to be very successful. In 

 nursery work skirts are always a drawback, as they 

 damage young plants in the nursery lines, and also break 

 down the edges of seed beds. In addition, in wet under- 

 growth they are a decided hindrance to freedom of 

 action. For outdoor land work it is essential that women 

 have the equivalent of a man's jacket, which can be 

 donned during a shower and cast off in hot weather or 

 for strenuous work. 



"The question of housing this type of woman away 

 from her home was one which was attended with many 

 and varied difficulties. In the first instance comparatively 

 few of the women were able to do for themselves prop- 

 erly. Further, although they had their food prepared 



for them, they were not able to purchase food in a thrifty 

 manner, and therefore had to suffer many discomforts. 

 Probably as a result of this the women were difficult to 

 control, and were somewhat unreliable as regards time- 

 keeping. 



"A certain allowance must of course be made, due to 



MEASURING THE FELLED TREE 



The women workers were able not only to fell a tree but also to report 

 on the amount of lumber to be secured from it. 



the fact that the work and the conditions of labor were 

 entirely new to the women, most of whom were unac- 

 quainted with outdoor work and rural conditions gen- 

 erally. 



"The experience gained during the years 1915 and 1916 

 forced one to the conclusion that this class of untrained 

 labor was not the most efficient for the purpose in view. 

 An attempt was therefore made to partially train the 

 women to at least a knowledge of out-door conditions. In 

 this connection the West of Scotland College of Agri- 

 culture organized at Kilmarnock in 191 7, a scheme for 

 this purpose. The women went into residence at the 

 College farm for a few weeks, and were thereafter draft- 

 ed to forestry work on different estates throughout Scot- 

 land. There was no attempt made to train the women 

 technically in forestry work, but they obtained an oppor- 

 tunity of experiencing land conditions. It was found 

 that the type of women willing to undergo this period 

 of probation was a more intelligent one than those form- 





