52 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



in the use of the transit, the traverse board, and reconnaissance 

 work. 



Forest entomology is studied during one week, and personal 

 acquaintance is made with beetles and other borers and leaf eaters 

 which have been previously studied in text-books. The injuries 

 to dead and dying timber through insect attack are carefully 

 examined, because one of the problems of forestry is to find ways 

 to utilize timber killed from any cause. Fire and insects are the 

 chief agents in this destructive work. Where it is practicable to 

 study their methods of attack and devastation in the woods and 

 in a natural way, it is done; but this is not always possible. Ar- 

 rangements are made to carry on the stud.y under artificial condi- 

 tions, as the next best method. 



Forest mensuration is an important branch of the work. The 

 theory is mastered in the school room, and methods are made 

 familiar, so that when the student takes up the practical end 

 of the work in the woods, he is not handicapped by lack of knowl- 

 edge of how it ought to be done. He simply puts into practice 

 what he had previously learned as a theory. The first few days 

 are spent in following the choppers, and measuring the trees as 

 they are felled. That is comparatively easy. The next step con- 

 sists in estimating the contents of standing trees. To do this 

 quickly and accurately, a good deal of judgment, based on experi- 

 ence, is necessary. 

 The standing trees 

 are first measured 

 or estimated. Then 

 the same trees are 

 cut down, accurate- 

 ly measured, and 

 the result is com- 

 pared with the first 

 estimate. An expe- 

 r i e n c e d cruiser 

 learns, by close at- 

 tention and long 

 experience, to esti- 

 mate the contents 

 of a standing tree 

 v e r y accurately, 

 without putting 

 line or calipers on 

 it, but the forestry 

 student in his sum- 

 mer cours;e in the 

 woods is taking his 

 first lessons. 



After the work 

 of estimating and 

 measuring single 

 trees has been com- 

 pleted in the field, 

 plot or tract, esti- 

 mating and meas- 

 uring are taken uji. 

 This is simply an enlargement of the single tree method. Usually a 

 ten-acre tract is made the basis of this work, and the timber on the 

 tract is subsequently cut, and actual measurements of each and every 

 tree are checked up to correct the measurements made while the timber 

 was standing. 



The equipment of the summer camp is made as practical as 

 possible. The students live in tents. They pitch them, take them 

 down, fit them for occupancy. Board is usually supplied at the 

 logging camp cook shanty, but while taking measurements in the 

 field, following the loggers, the students generally eat their dinners 

 with the logging crews. 



The study of the maintenance of men and horses in the woods 

 is a part of the forestry course. The practical side of it is mas- 

 tered by experience. Men are sent out with horses and packs, 

 and learn to make a camp at night, provide cots of "spruce 



MAKING AN ESTIMATE OF TIMBER IN A 

 STANDING HE.MLOCK TKEE 



feathers," in the absence of anything better, make trails where 

 needed, see to it that the packhorses are cared for and that the 

 loads are adjusted in the proper way, and that overloading is not 

 done. The equipment carried by camping parties depends, of 

 course, upon the nature of the work in which they are engaged; 

 but in all cases it is made as nearly as possible like that which 

 they will need in real forestry practice. 



An important feature of the instruction in the summer school in 

 the woods relates to the sanitary arrangements of the lumber 

 camp. The tents of the students stand for the cabins and shanties 

 of real lumber life. They are kept clean, and at night are lighteil. 

 The yards are likewise looked after, and accumulation of rubbish 

 in front of, between, and behind the tents is not permitted. A 

 yard man is generally assigned the duty of raking the yards and 

 other vacant spaces in the vicinity of the tents, sweeping the tents, 

 keeping the kerosene lamps filled and in order, and the waterpails 

 replenished from the nearest spring. 



The Michigan Agricultural College is backing a movement to 

 interest the farmers of that state in planting trees. A specialty 

 will be made of sample lots of five acres or less. An association 

 will be formed to do the planting and create sentiment among the 

 people. One of the first pieces of missionary work to be under- 

 taken will be in the direction of educating farmers to the fact that 

 forest growth, partic- 

 ularly young growti', 

 is injured by the 

 browsing of live 

 stock. The plan of the 

 work includes the 

 leasing of a few 

 acres at certain 

 centers, and mak- 

 ing it a sample plot 

 where planting and 

 care of trees may 

 be observed. The 

 farmer who fur- 

 nishes the land will 

 join in a contract 

 that he will protect 

 the land, but will 

 not interfere with 

 it for a specified 

 term of years. At 

 the end of that 

 period the land, 

 with all the trees 

 which have been 

 planted on it, re 

 verts to him. It 

 would be difficult 

 to find a region 

 which is more suited 

 to tree planting than 

 Michigan. 



SAWYEl:s \\|. STiriKNTS WdHKING OX 

 GDllli IJI AI.ITV (II" llAItU .MAl'LE 



Distinguished Visitors 



Members of the International Congress of Chambers of Commerce 

 will visit Chicago on October 4, and will remain until October 7. 

 Delegates composing this congress come from Austria, Prance, Ger- 

 many, Great Britain, the Scandinavian countries, and the United 

 States. The fifth session of the congress will be held in Boston, 

 September 24-28. This will be the first session in this country. The 

 four former sessions were held in Europe. The delegates will visit 

 a number of American cities, and a fund of .$2.5,000 has been raised 

 by Chicago as a contribution toward the exiienses of the tour. Chi 

 cago will be represented in the congress when it meets for the session 

 in Boston. 



