250 EMPLOYMENT OF WOMEN IN FORESTRY 



their survey and description ; in carrying out thinning 

 operations ; in visits to woods scientifically managed 

 under working plans ; in the preparation of a working 

 plan for an area of woods — and so on. 



Now, the only part of this work a woman is likely to 

 find beyond her powers is the heavier manual labour, 

 such as trenching with the heavy spade, the use of the 

 heavy axe in felling trees of large girth, and so on. 

 But there appears to be no reason why, by making use 

 of light tools, she should not be able to render herself 

 thoroughly acquainted with their manipulation in 

 order to ensure an adequate future control over her 

 staff. For the executive officer, whether in charge of 

 an area of woods or assistant in such an area, is not 

 required to do the manual labour. He is not there for 

 that purpose. He is required to possess the brains 

 and knowledge to run the machine. 



It may be conceded, therefore, that so far as the 

 training of the scientific forester, both upper and lower 

 executive grades, is concerned, the woman should be 

 able to assimilate it and be turned out as good an 

 article as the man. 



Now as to the work of the executive forester. It 

 would be easy and pleasant to detail it at great length. 

 It will, however, suffice for our present purpose to 

 glance briefly at the salient points. 



The forester's work is exceedingly diverse, and for 

 that very reason the more interesting. It has been 

 well said that the forester is always at school to the 

 end of his life, and the true forester is well aware of 

 the correctness of the dictum ; for the more intimately 

 a man becomes acquainted with the varied Hfe of the 



