lay out sample plots for ascertaining the exact relation of each species
to light, heat, and moisture, or for studying its rate of growth. He may
find it necessary to determine the effect of the grazing of cattle or
sheep on young growth of various species and of various ages, or to
ascertain their relative resistance to fire. In general, what time he
can spare from more pressing duties is very fully occupied with adding
to his silvical knowledge by observation, with studies of injurious
insects or fungi, of the reasons for the increase or decrease of
valuable or worthless species of trees in the forest, the innumerable
secondary effects of forest fires, the causes of the local distribution
of trees, or with some other of the thousand questions which give a
never-failing interest to work in the woods.

The protection of a valuable kind of tree often depends upon the ability
to find a use for, and therefore to remove, a less-valuable species
which is crowding it out, for as yet the American Forester can do very
little cutting or thinning that does not pay. Just so, the protection of
a given tract against fire may depend upon the ability to use, and
therefore to remove, a part or the whole of the dead and down timber
which now makes it a fire trap. For such reasons as these, the uses of
wood and the markets for its disposal form exceedingly important
branches of study for the Forest Examiner, who will usually find that
his duties require him to be thoroughly familiar with them.

It is more and more common to find each Forest Officer--Ranger, Forest
Examiner, or Supervisor--combining in himself the qualities and the
knowledge required to fill any or all of the other positions. The
professionally trained man who develops marked executive ability is
likely to become a Supervisor, just as a Ranger, with the necessary
training and experience, who may wish to devote himself to silvical
investigations may be transferred to that work. The point is that each
man has individual opportunity to establish and occupy the place for
which he is best fitted.

The success of the technical Forester, like that of the Ranger, and
indeed of nearly every Government Forest Officer, in whatever position
or line of work, will very frequently depend on his good judgment and
practical sense, the chief ingredient of which will always be his
knowledge of local needs and conditions, and his sympathetic
understanding of the local point of view. This d