A SIMPLIFIED METHOD OF STEM ANALYSIS 865 



The modified method described in Graves' Forest Mensuration also 

 involves the making of decade measurements at every section, reducing 

 only the office computation. 



Graves states in regard to the standard method : "On account of this 

 long and expensive work, relatively few studies of volume growth of 

 individual trees have been made in this country." 



On account of the large number of problems confronting the for- 

 ester engaged in practical work, the opportunities for organizing crews 

 necessary to carry on this work are few and far between. Many occa- 

 sions arise, however, where a growth study would be made were the 

 undertaking not so formidable. At present the decision usually reached 

 is to confine the investigation to a volume study alone. Usually the 

 opportunity arises in connection with some convenient logging oper- 

 ation. Here lies the chief practical difficulty in the standard method. 

 Only a large crew can secure the large number of measurements re- 

 quired in the limited time usually available between the felling of the 

 tree and the skidding of the logs. 



A method seems to be desired that is less laborious not only in the 

 office, but more particularly in the field, so that it can be carried on 

 successfully in connection with any logging operation by a small crew. 

 In the method submitted for consideration, this reduction in labor is 

 secured by changing the procedure of constructing a volume-growth 

 table by which in a great reduction in both field and office work is 

 secured. In the field the work is reduced by substituting for the decade 

 measurements of diameter growth at the upper end of each log merely 

 the measurement of the diameter and the counting of the total age of 

 the section. 



Consider what this means. The ages of the sections may be counted 

 along any radius, wherever the rings are plainest and where it is most 

 convenient. The data gathered for each tree go on a single line in the 

 note-book instead of filling a whole sheet. This makes the tallying 

 shorter and the succeeding computations easier. The field-work is 

 reduced fully one-half, for the making of decade measurements is with- 

 out doubt the laborious part of stem analysis. One needs only to try 

 this change once to realize this. It puts the work on a basis where it 

 is comparatively easy to keep ahead of the skidders instead of having 

 to be running continually to the skidway to take the last measurements. 



In the office computation there is a similar reduction of 50 per cent in 

 the quantity of work involved. Instead of computing the volume at the 

 end of every decade, only the total present volume of each tree is calcu- 

 lated and a volume table prepared by standard methods. As the diam- 



