232 



WOMEN AND FORESTRY 



left undone or done ill, to the detriment of the woods 

 themselves. 



I now come to the last part of my subject, one 

 which in some respects is one of the most interesting, 

 the training of women in the higher branches of forestry, 

 the training of women as foresters. I have already 

 dealt with this subject at some length in a paper in 

 the Englishwoman for December last,* so may confine 

 myself to briefly stating the chief aspects of the case 

 as they appear to me. 



The Hfe of a forester is pre-eminently an open-air 

 one. A good executive officer will spend the greater 

 part of each month out of doors in the woods. This 

 of itself makes the profession a fascinating one for 

 those who prefer the open air to the desk. But at the 

 same time it renders the possession of a good physique, 

 good health, and active habits indispensable. Girls, 

 the modern girl at any rate, may be considered to 

 possess these attributes to much the same extent as 

 young men. In addition, the would-be scientifically 

 trained forester requires to possess a love for nature as 

 it exists in the woods combined with powers of close 

 observation. These latter the education of the forester 

 endeavours to stimulate and bring into full play. 



How is the executive forester, that is the man who 

 has charge of areas of woods, trained ? The education 

 of such has been brought to a considerable state of 

 development during the last few years, thanks to the 

 liberal manner in which the Development Commis- 

 sioners have aided in this matter. Here in Edinburgh 

 a degree of B.Sc. in Forestry is conferred, whilst Oxford 



1 Vide Article XVII. 



