xecution of
this work on the ground and in actual daily contact with the
multifarious uses and users of the forest.

THE FOREST SUPERVISOR

[Illustration: WESTERN YELLOW PINE SEED COLLECTED BY THE FOREST SERVICE
FOR PLANTING UP DENUDED LANDS]

The Supervisor is the general manager of a National Forest. The
responsibility for the protection, care, and use of it falls upon him,
under the direction of the District Forester. The Supervisor is
responsible for making the use of his forest as valuable and as
convenient as possible for the people in and around the area of which he
has charge. He deals with the organizations of forest users, such as
local stock associations, and issues permits for grazing live stock in
the forest. Permits for cutting small amounts of timber are granted by
him, and he advertises in the papers the sale of larger amounts and
receives bids from prospective purchasers; keeps the accounts of his
forest; and makes regular reports on a variety of important subjects,
such as the personnel of his forest force, the permanent improvements
made or to be made, the permits issued for regular and special uses of
the forest and for free use of timber and forage, the number and kinds
of predatory animals killed, the amount of forest planting accomplished,
and the expense and losses from forest fires. He has general oversight
of the roads, trails, and other improvements on his forest; and prepares
plans for the extension of them. In particular, he directs, controls,
and inspects the work of the Ranger and Guards, and in general, he
attends to the thousand and one matters which go to adjusting the use of
the forest to the needs of the men who use it, and on which depends
whether the forest is well or badly thought of among the people whose
cooperation or opposition have so much to do with making its management
successful or otherwise.

The Supervisor spends about half his time in the office and half in the
field, inspecting the work of his men and consulting with them, meeting
local residents or associations of local residents who have propositions
to submit for improving the service of the forest to them, or for
correcting mistakes, or who wish to lay before the Supervisor some one
of the numberless matters in which the forest affects their welfare. The
usefulness of the Supervisor depends as much upon his good judgment, his
ability to meet men and do business with them, and his knowledge of
local needs