22 THE NATIONAL FOREST MANUAL. 



National Forest. should bo divided will be determined by the supervisor, with 

 the approval of the District Forester. The aim should be to so divide the 

 Forest that in each district all of the regular work can be hand4ed efficiently 

 by one well-qualified ranger if granted the necessary temporary assistance. 

 There is, of course, a practical limit to the area which can be handled by one 

 officer, even with the most liberal assistance. So far experience has proven 

 that ordinarily an area of approximately 200,000 acres represents this limit, 

 though in exceptional cases the area may be greater. The area will, however, 

 defend on the value of the Forest property, the extent of its use, and the avail- 

 ability of temporary assistance when most needed. Where such assistance 

 can not be obtained, or where there is constant heavy work, it may become 

 advisable to establish smaller districts. Where means of travel and com- 

 munication are good, however, or where there is only a small volume of busi- 

 ness, or where the fire hazard is low, districts larger than 200,000 acres may 

 be established. The district rangers should have their headquarters at the 

 nearest business center, or, if that is impracticable, permanent headquarters 

 should be provided on the Forest 



Assistance for District Bangers. 



When the work is too heavy or too complex to be handled by the district 

 ranger alone, and yet does not make it advisable to divide the district, forest 

 assistants, assistant rangers, guards, or other officers should be assigned to the 

 district for such period as may be necessary. 



Project Assistants. 



Ordinarily project assistants will be under the direction of the district 

 ranger, but in special cases, as in large timber sales, they may be given ex- 

 clusive authority by the supervisor over a specific project, in which case they 

 will have the standing of district rangers. Such assistants should, so far as 

 possible, be kept on distinct lines of work. 



Temporary employees who show special aptitude for specific lines of work 

 should be kept on duty for the maximum period when this is practicable, 

 because properly qualified assistants can secure the necessary training and 

 experience only in the Service. 

 Data for Working Plans to be Obtained by Specially Qualified Assistants. 



The work involved in making Forest surveys necessary to the preparation 

 of definite plans of management for timber, grazing, settlement, special uses, 

 administration, and protection will be performed by officers specially qualified, 

 such as forest assistants, grazing examiners, lumbermen, members of the 

 district office, or by the supervisor or deputy supervisor. 



Preparation for Making- Working 1 Plans. 



Plans, with estimates of cost for such surveys, will be made by the super- 

 visor in accordance with the instructions given in the forest plans section 

 of the Manual. The District Forester will determine those to be undertaken 

 and have general direction over the details of execution and the personnel 

 of the parties conducting the field and office work. Such parties will, how- 

 ever, while in the field be under the direction of the supervisor. 



Allotment for Working Plan. 



The allotment of money for the preparation of working plans will be made 

 by the District Forester in accordance with the plan approved by the Forester. 

 When a project has been determined upon the District Forester will allot to 

 the supervisor the necessary money for its completion. Separate records should 

 be kept of the cost of each project. 



Nontechnical Assistance. 



Work of a nontechnical character which can not be performed by the regular 

 force will be performed by assistant forest rangers, forest guards, field assist- 

 ants, and temporary laborers. Such assistants should be employed only for a 

 particular purpose, and their salaries and expenses should be paid from a spe- 

 cial allotment for that purpose. They are directly responsible to the officer 

 directing their work. The instructions for each piece of work will include 

 estimates for the expense of such assistance. 



Clerical Assistants. 



The forest clerk ordinarily will perform all the routine clerical duties of 

 the supervisor's office. His salary will be charged to the general administra- 



