244 FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION. June, 



proceed in the manner of ' ' try and try their share of the benefit of the protec- 



again." While this method was the tion provided by the government, 



only feasible one in the beginning, it According to this general plan, based 



left' the matter without any coordina- on present conditions, there would be 



tion. Every forest officer, naturally employed for the coming year a field 



and properly, considered his needs the force composed of about : 



greatest, and the officer who was able 20 rangers of class I. 



to present his needs in the most im- 90 rangers of class II, 



pressive way, often by reinforcement of 180 rangers of class III for a period 



popular petitions, obtained the largest of five months per year, and 



share of assistance. In this way the 70 rangers of class III for a period of 



distribution of the fiscal year 1900-1901 eight months per year, 



was rather badly balanced. Thus the In the employment of rangers a reg- 



expenses for an area of 3,900,000 acres ular blank form of application is used 



in one state were about $80,000 ; for in which the applicant makes full state- 



the same area in another state about ment of his personal qualifications, his 



$9,000 ; in still another, $14,000. To training, and experience. While it is 



avoid this lack of coordination an at- a well-known fact that a paper applica- 



tempt is made to distribute the forces tion or examination is deficient and can 



according to the conditions requiring never be relied upon alone, yet it is an 



the service. equally well-known fact, and a fact upon 



The principal conditions here under which the present civil-service system 



consideration are the area of the reserve; is based, that such an examination is 



determining the effort to patrol the not only an excellent record of most of 



same; its location /. e., whether in the necessary qualifications, but will 



Arizona, where danger from fire lasts prevent many, if not most, of the real 



for more than eight months, or whether objectionable applicants from entering 



in Montana, where five months cover the service, 



the dangerous season. In addition, the In addition to the force employed in 



*J5^ 



business of the reserve is considered; the past, it is intended to introduce a 

 the amount of timber sales, requiring number of technically trained men, at 

 survey estimates, patrol, and super- present termed " head rangers." The 

 vision; the number of cases of free use, function of these men, as at present con- 

 each of which requires one or two days' ceived, is that of technical assistants to 

 work of a ranger; the amount of stock the supervisors. It is through these 

 grazed within the reserve, and also the foresters that a correct and judicious in- 

 number of farming and mining settle- terpretation of the instructions is to be 

 ments in and near the reserve, all tend- accomplished, and it is through them 

 ing to complicate the work, and there- that an application of the knowledge 

 fore calhng for additional help. In this and methods of forestry is to be carried 

 way it is hoped to make a fairer distri- to the forest reserves. So far only two 

 hution and give all reserves more nearly head rangers are in the service. 



