234 WOMEN AND FORESTRY 



he knows how the work should be actually performed. 

 In Scotland we have magnificent nurseries and areas 

 of woods available for this purpose, whose proprietors 

 give us a cordial welcome and perniission to make full 

 use of them. In England the Forest of Dean now 

 forms a fine Demonstration Area. The advanced prac- 

 tical courses teach the student how to survey areas of 

 woods, measure up the cubic contents, how to carry 

 out thinning operations, and finally how to prepare 

 scientific plans for their management. Nor is the pro- 

 tection of the woods from the various dangers — insect 

 and fungus and so on — ^forgotten. 



The only portion of these practical courses that 

 is likely to overtax the woman is heavy trenching 

 work with the spade (though I know of instances 

 where she can put many men on their mettle in this 

 direction), and the use of the heavy axe and saw in 

 felling trees. But though it is important that the ex- 

 ecutive forester of the future should know how these 

 operations are performed she will not herself have to 

 actually do this work. Hers will be the brain which 

 will control and direct the operations to be carried out 

 in the woods. Therefore it should be possible for the 

 woman, by using lighter forms of these tools, to make 

 herself sufficiently acquainted for all practical purposes 

 with the correct methods of using the spade, saw, or 

 axe during her practical courses: 



Lastly as to the work of the forester. The above 

 sketches will, I trust, have afforded some knowledge 

 of his operations. But the life is a very diverse one. 

 The forester is always at school, for the better he is 

 acquainted with the varied life of the woods, veget- 



