LENGTH OF LOGS LOG-RULES. 29 



because the remaining- hardwoods could not be marketed and the taxes 

 were burdensome. But now that the hardwoods as well as the others 

 will probably be cut there is imperative necessity for more prompt 

 and liberal action by the State legislature if the forests are to be pre- 

 served. Hitherto lumbering has meant a culling or thinning process, 

 the removal of the evergreens only; it soon may mean denudation. 



LENGTH OF LOGS. 



The lumbermen of southern and western New York usually cut 

 most of their logs into lengths of 16 feet to supply the market demand 

 for 16-foot boards. They also cut some 12-foot and 11-foot logs in 

 order to save timber. But boards of the shorter lengths were some- 

 what unsalable. In the Adirondack forests nearly all logs were cut 

 13 feet long. The reason for adopting this odd length is not known 

 now. For nearly a hundred years the lumbermen of northern New 

 York have cut 13-foot logs, sawed 13-foot boards, and sold 13-foot 

 lumber in the Albany and New York markets, although logs every- 

 where else in the United States are cut into lengths of 16 feet or some 

 other even number. Fifty years ago the 10-inch boards, 13 feet long, 

 from the Glens Falls mills were known in these markets as "tally 

 boards." and were sold by count instead of measure. 



LOG-RULES. 



Throughout the State, with the exception of the Adirondack coun- 

 try, lumbermen usually bought or sold logs by one of two rules — 

 Doyle's or Scribner's. Prior to 1850 Edward Doyle and J. M. Scrib- 

 ner each published an original tabulation of figures, called a log-rule, 

 showing the number of feet, board measure, which a log of any size 

 would 3 r ield when sawed into inch lumber. For half a century or 

 more the relative merits of these two rules have been a source of fre- 

 quent discussion, there being a material difference in the figures given 

 by the two authorities. 



It may seem strange that there should be any difference over a 

 mathematical problem of this kind. Certainly if the saws were of the 

 same thickness and the sawyers equally skillful there could be no vari- 

 ation in the results. But logs are not cylindrical; they are tapering, 

 sometimes crooked, often rotten in spots, and apt to be defective in 

 various ways. Hence in formulating a log-rule for general use 

 allowance must be made for slabs, saw-kerf, waste, and various defect- 

 that may he found in almost any large lot of logs. It was on this 

 matter of allowance that Doyle and Scribner differed. 



The Doyle rule is based on a fixed, arbitrary formula, which is fairly 

 correct as to medium-sized logs, but is inaccurate, necessarily so. as to 

 others. Starting with the Lo-foot lengths, he arrives at the number 

 of feet, hoard measure, in a log of -that length and of any diameter 

 by deducting 4 inches from the diameter and then taking the square 

 of the difference. For instance, in finding the contents of :i log 16 feet 



