248 EMPLOYMENT OF WOMEN IN FORESTRY 



There appears to be no adequate reason why women 

 who are physically strong enough for an open-air life 

 should not take up forestry as a profession. There are 

 one or two essentials requisite to make a good forester, 

 in addition to physical qualifications — to wit, a love of 

 nature and natural history, combined with powers 

 of close observation. The forester's theoretical and 

 practical training develop and stimulate these^^ but 

 they should be there from the start to make the real 

 forester. As a race, the Britisher, man and woman, 

 possibly possesses these attributes to as great, and per- 

 haps a greater, degree than any other nation. It is 

 certain that in their absence a good forester cannot be 

 made. 



It will be asked. How is a forester made ? What is 

 his work, what are the chances of posts in this pro- 

 f ession,and wha,t the probabiUty of a proportion of them 

 being filled by women ? It is the purpose of this 

 article to answer these questions, so far as is at present 

 possible. 



First, as regards the making of a forester. The 

 education and training of the forester — that is, of the 

 executive ofificer who has charge of large tracts of woods 

 worked on commercial principles — has during the past 

 five years developed amazingly in this country, thanks 

 chiefly to the discerning enterprise and strong support 

 of the Development Commissioners, who have made 

 considerable grants of money for this purpose. 

 Forestry courses, including both elementary and the 

 highest branches of the subject, are now delivered 

 throughout the country at University centres and 

 Agricultural Colleges. The courses in the advanced 



