ADMINISTRATION 35 



Not only is a Forest Assistant called upon to 

 perform these various lines of technical work. The 

 very nature of the country he is in indicates that he 

 must be an all-round practical man. He must be 

 able to ride, pack, and drive. He must often live 

 alone and therefore must do his own cooking, wash- 

 ing, and take care of other personal needs. He 

 must be strong and healthy and capable of under- 

 going hardships, at least be able to stand long days 

 of walking, climbing, and horseback riding. His 

 various duties and the different situations that arise 

 often call for knowledge and practical ability as a 

 carpenter, a mechanic, a plumber, an engineer, a 

 surveyor, and many other lines of work. Perhaps 

 more important than his education and ability are 

 his personal qualifications. His temperament must 

 be such that he must feel satisfied and contented 

 under the most trying conditions. He must be able 

 to do without most of the comforts of modern civ- 

 ilization for most of the time. For these reasons 

 the country-bred western youths are more liable to 

 make a success of the work than the city-bred east- 

 erner. 



The Forest Ranger. The Forest Ranger's posi- 

 tion is one of the most important and at the same 



