1899. 



AMERICAN FORESTRY ASSOCIATION. 



107 



physical demands. It may be said in 

 general, however, that none but the 

 completely sound in body should under- 

 take the active work of a forester. 



The more important auxiliary subjects, 

 a knowledge of which should in most 

 cases be obtained, at least in part, be- 

 fore the training in forestry itself is be- 

 gun, are : 



(1) Botany, emphasis to be laid 

 chiefly on the structure and life of plants. 

 Systematic botany need not be dwelt on 

 at length. The knowledge essential to 

 the determination of the species of trees 

 is, naturally, of great importance. Cryp- 

 togamic botany should not be entirely 

 neglected, although only a general view 

 is required. 



(2) Geology, with special emphasis 

 on the origin and meaning of the surface 

 features of the earth. 



(3) Some Physics and Chemistry is 

 essential, and a slight knowledge of 

 Zoology and Entomology should not be 

 omitted. 



(4) Mathematics should include Geom- 

 etry and Trigonometry, and, preferably, 

 Mechanics also. A good working knowl- 

 edge of Surveying should be acquired. 



(5) Some knowledge of Law and busi- 

 ness methods. 



(6) German or French, preferably the 

 former, and still better both together. 



(7) A good course in Economics. 



(8) History and Geography of the 

 United States, with special reference to 

 economic development and production. 



A considerable part of these auxiliary 

 subjects may be acquired during a col- 

 lege or university course. If, however, 

 work in forestry begins after graduation 

 and without previous training in auxiliary 

 subjects, it should be commenced by 

 several months of practical work in the 

 woods. Indeed, it will be well, in all 

 cases, for the forest student to begin 

 practical work before plunging too 

 deeply into his theoretical training. 

 For this purpose the position of Stu- 

 dent Assistant in the Division of For- 

 estry, United States Department of Ag- 

 riculture, offers a valuable opportunity 



to a few well-qualified men to become 

 acquainted with the true nature of forest 

 work. Students are paid at the rate of 

 $300 per annum, and all field expenses 

 are borne by the Division. 



After such an experience in the field, 

 when the forest student has achieved a 

 correct conception of his future work, 

 the auxiliary training should be begun, 

 followed by a year or more in forestry at 

 a forest school, with the vacations spent 

 in the woods, and, finally, not less than 

 a year abroad. To my mind, this final 

 year is of very great value, because in 

 this country it is not possible to gather 

 an adequate conception of the response 

 of forests to treatment through long pe- 

 riods, or of the application of remedies 

 to defective forests and the results. 

 Forest management in this country is 

 still too young to offer the necessary ex- 

 amples. 



It will be essential for the American 

 student to acquire some considerable 

 knowledge of lumbering and the forests 

 in the United States before going abroad, 

 where much that he sees will interest 

 him only as to the principle involved 

 and not as to its practical application. 



Not less than three years should, 

 in general, be devoted to the special prep- 

 aration of a forester for his profession. 

 At that time he may reasonably look 

 for paying employment either from pri- 

 vate owners of forest land, such as great 

 companies or wealthy lumbermen, from 

 States such as New York or Pennsylva- 

 nia, or from the Government, either in 

 the General Land Office, where the na- 

 tional forest reserves are administered, 

 in the Geological Survey, where they are 

 mapped and described, or in the Divi- 

 sion of Forestry, to which the general 

 progress of the science and art of for- 

 estry is assigned, together with all tech- 

 nical forest work, and in which the in- 

 terests of the vast area of private forest 

 lands are considered. At present the 

 pay of foresters is on about the same 

 plane as that of the instructors and pro- 

 fessors in a university. 



GlFFORD PlNCHOT. 



