454 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



breaking the crown cover, the seeds long dormant, germinated and 

 populated the forest, and again in turn, kept out the sunlight and 

 protected the forest floor. 



INVOICING STOCK ON HAND. 



Whether buying, selling or retaining a farm, it is well to know the 

 condition and volume of timber on hand in the farm woodlot. Farms are 

 frequently sold and a large part of the purchase price is paid by selling 

 timber off the woodlot. 



The pioneer farmer who usually spent several months each year 

 logging could tell, at sight, the content of logs or trees in board feet and 

 cords. The younger generation should never cut a tree without first 

 making at least a mental note of its contents. Better yet, keep a record 

 of the trees cut each season, noting their diameters breast high, species 

 and their actual yield. Such a record should be referred to when ob- 

 serving the general condition of the woods. There are several rules of 

 thumb which are convenient aids in calculating the volume of trees 

 and logs and which give results close enough for practical purposes. 

 (1) Estimate the number of sixteen foot logs in the tree and apply the 

 following formula to the diameter at the small end of each log inside the 

 bark : viz., subtract 4 inches, square one-fourth the remainder and multi- 

 ply the result by the length w^hich will give you the contents of the log in 

 board feet Doyle rule. To reduce this to cords, divide by 550. (2) 

 ]\[easure the diameter of the tree breast high, calculate the basal area, 

 multiply by the height and divide by 2, which gives roughly, the cubical 

 content of the tree. Keduce to cords by dividing by 128. The average 

 slacked cord 8x4x4 ft. contains TO per cent of solid wood. (3) Measure 

 the breast high diameter, square it, multiply the result by 2 and divide 

 by 10, w^hich will give the cubic feet in the particular tree. To determine 

 tjie board feet, multiply by 8. 



To determine the stand on any given area, measure the breast 

 height diameters of all the trees, group them according to unit classes, 

 multiply the number of trees in each diameter class by the diameter 

 class itself, add the results and divide it bv the total number of trees 

 in all the classes, which will give the approximate diameter of an aver- 

 age tree. Fell this tree and apply Doyle's formula; also cut and stack 

 the crown wood and measure in actual cords; then multiply the sepa- 

 rate volumes thus obtained by the number of trees in the stand, thus 

 roughly determining the stand in board feet and cords. Other rule 

 may be substituted for Doyle if desired. 



PROTECTION. 



The important enemies of the farm woodlot are grazing animals, 

 wind and fire. The woodlot to be used as a productive forest, must not 

 be used as a shady pasture. Stock browse and trample out the young 

 grow^th. Standing at the base of large trees or among saplings, horses, 

 cattle, and sheep repeatedly stamp the earth, breaking the root fibers 

 and puddle heavy soils in wet weather, making them impervious to ram. 

 The litter of the"^ forest floor is broken up and is thus more easily trans- 

 ported by the wind. In the pastured woodlot, the tree growth is 

 checked; in many cases where the soil has been puddled badly, the 



