98 Our Field and Forest Trees 



game abounded there, and the " meene man's " 

 children cried with hunger. 



The forester In those days was the servant of 

 the king, or of a great lord, and his business was to 

 make sure that his master's land should abound 

 in game. He was to be ever on the watch for 

 trespassers, and for people who cut down branches, 

 or who trapped or chased game — for all offend- 

 ers, either In vert or in venison — and to bring 

 any of these culprits whom he could catch to the 

 forest courts, where people who broke the burden- 

 some forest laws were tried and sentenced. He 

 had one thing In mind — the game. His business 

 was simply and solely to see that his lord and mas- 

 ter got good hunting. 



Nowadays, the forest officer is the servant of 

 the nation, and the laws which he enforces are 

 devised, not to keep good things from the people, 

 but to give them good things in fullest measure. 



When we read what a Royal Forest was, and 

 then think what a National Forest is, we begin to 

 realize the progress of the world from the days 

 of Robin Hood to ours. 



Our national forests give employment to a num- 

 ber of men whose work is the " Forest Service." 

 The forest officer of the day has many cares and 

 duties. He, too, must concern himself about the 

 wild life of the woods, for part of his business is 

 to destroy the animals which rob the farmer, 

 g^ock man, and shepherd. Jn a single year 



