8 THE PKOFESSION OF FOEESTKY. 



by a ranger will iindoubtedty become available in the near future. A 

 well-rounded ranger course should cover a period of about one full 

 year, and should be conducted primarily in the field along very prac- 

 tical lines. 



THE FIELD OF WORK. 



Foresters are now finding employment with the Federal Govern- 

 ment, with various States, with lumbermen and other private owners 

 of timberland, and with educational institutions and those conducting 

 research in forestry. 



GOVERNMENT WORK. 



So far the United States Government has been the principal 

 employer of foresters. It is probable that fully 95 per cent of the 

 trained foresters in the country have at one time or another been 

 engaged in Government work, and 60 per cent or more are in it to-day. 

 There is a small group of foresters in the Indian Office in the Depart- 

 ment of the Interior, who are in charge of the forests owned by the 

 various Indian tribes, and more foresters will undoubtedly be 

 employed by the Department of the Interior when the National 

 Parks are placed under technical administration. At present, how- 

 ever, nearly all of the forestry work of the Federal Government is 

 conducted by the Forest Service in the Department of Agriculture. 

 The work of the Forest Service ma}^ be divided into two parts: First, 

 the administration and protection of the National Forests; and, sec- 

 ond, technical investigations and cooperation with States and private 

 owners. 



ADMINISTRATION AND PROTECTION OF NATIONAL FORESTS. 



The National Forests cover a gross area of nearly 190,000,000 acres, 

 situated chiefly in the mountains of the West. The administration 

 and protection of this vast domain constitutes the greatest task of 

 the Forest Service, and occupies the time of most of its men. The 

 administration of the National Forests is centered in the Washington 

 oflace, to which are attached certain higher officers engaged in general 

 direction and inspection of the work. For convenience in field admin- 

 istration there have been established six National Forest districts, 

 each in charge of a District Forester, who has associated with him 

 such technical assistants as are necessary for the conduct of the work. 

 Each District Forester has supervision over the administration of the 

 group of Forests, usually from 20 to 30, which are located within his 

 District. 



Altogether there are 162 Forests, averaging over 1,000,000 acres 

 each. In charge of each Forest is a supervisor, who may or may not 

 be a technical forester. In some cases he is assisted by a deputy 

 sunervisor. The Forests are divided into districts, each in charge of 



