1905 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 



157 



permits, and the application of other 

 regulations for the use and occupancy 

 of forest reserves. They keep the re- 

 cords and accounts, and conduct the 

 correspondence and general office 

 business of their reserves, and make 

 reports to the Forester on all matters 

 under their jurisdiction. 



FOREST ASSISTANTS. 



The position of Forest Assistant 

 requires technical qualifications of 

 high order, and entails an examination 

 which no man may reasonably expect 

 to pass unless he has been thoroughly 

 trained in scientific forestry, dendrol- 

 ogy, and lumbering. Forest Assis- 

 tants may be assigned to any part of 

 the United States and must be com- 

 petent to handle technical lines of 

 work, such as the preparation of 

 working plans and planting plans, 

 the investigation of the silvical char- 

 acteristics and the uses of commercial 

 trees, the study of problems in wood 

 preservation, and to conduct many 

 other investigations requiring a train- 

 ed forester. 



FOREST RANGERS. 



To be eligible as Forest Ranger of 

 any grade, the applicant must be, first 

 of all, thoroughly sound and able- 

 bodied, capable of enduring hard- 

 ships and of performing severe labor 

 under trying conditions. Invalids 

 seeking light out-of-door employment 

 need not apply. No one may expect 

 to pass the examination who is not 

 already able to take care of himself 

 and his horses in regions remote from 

 settlement and supplies. He must be 

 able to build trails and cabins, and 

 pack in provisions without assistance. 

 He must know something of survey- 

 ing, estimating and scaling timber, 

 lumbering, and the live stock business. 

 On some reserves the Forest Ranger 

 must be a specialist in one or more 

 of these lines of work. Thorough 

 familiarity with the region in which 

 he seeks employment, including its 

 geography and its forest and indus- 

 trial conditions, is usually demanded, 

 although lack of this may be supplied 



by experience in other similar regions. 



The examination of applicants is 

 along the practical lines indicated 

 above, and actual demonstration, by 

 perfomance, is required. Experience, 

 not book education, is sought, al- 

 though ability to make simple maps 

 and write intelligent reports upon 

 ordinary reserve business is essential. 



Although initial appointment as 

 Forest Ranger is usually to the low- 

 est grade, in case of merit service 

 therein may be only for a short pro- 

 bationary period. Increase of salary 

 above the maximum for a Forest 

 Ranger can be secured only through 

 promotion to the position of Deputy 

 Forest Supervisor or Forest Super- 

 visor when a vacancy occurs. It is 

 the policy to fill such vacancies by 

 promotions of Forest Rangers or For- 

 est Assistants, when competent men 

 can be found, rather than by appoint- 

 ment of men without forest reserve 

 experience although otherwise well 

 fitted. 



Where boats, saddle horses, or pack 

 horses are necessary in the perform- 

 ance of their duty, rangers are re- 

 quired to own and maintain them. 



The entire time of rangers must 

 be given to the service. Engage- 

 ment in any other occupation or em- 

 ployment is not permitted. Forest 

 Rangers execute work of the forest 

 reserve under the direction of the 

 Forest Supervisor. Their duties in- 

 clude patrol to prevent fire and tres- 

 pass, estimating, surveying and mark- 

 ing timber, and the supervision of 

 cuttings. They issue minor permits, 

 build cabins and trails, enforce graz- 

 ing restrictions, investigate claims, 

 and arrest for violation of reserve 

 laws. 



FOREST GUARDS EMPLOYED DURIXG FIRE 

 SEASON. 



In addition to the permanent classi- 

 fied force which comprise the For- 

 est Service, temporary assistants are 

 employed during the season of serious 

 danger from fires. These are known 

 as Forest Guards, and may be employ- 

 ed or dismissed by the Forest Super- 



