A SIMPLIFIED METHOD OF STEM ANALYSIS 867 



were to determine the production of pulpwood. The volume table 

 being based on total present volume only, correct figures for the smaller 

 sizes cannot be deduced from it. Thus the volume-growth curve would 

 lack complete data for the early periods or would be inaccurate. The 

 standard direct method gives this data with great accuracy and this 

 proposed method cannot compare with it in that respect. However, 

 for board-foot volume studies, it is not usually difficult to get satisfac- 

 torily complete data for all sizes of trees that will yield any quantity 

 of lumber. This objection is therefore not felt to apply where the 

 board-foot unit of volume is to be used, which is usually the case at 

 the present time, particularly for preliminary studies for which this 

 method is suggested. 



The details of applying the method may be briefly outlined to show 

 how the various operations of the proposed method are related, so as 

 to at once avoid laborious computation and yet to give a well-related 

 set of data. Many of the operations described are not distinctive of 

 this method, but are described, so as to give a complete view of the 

 working of the method. 



For the taking of the field data an ordinary reporter's or stenogra- 

 pher's note-book may be used by ruling lines lengthwise of the book. 

 A single line across both pages may then be used for taking complete 

 data of each tree. This simplifies the taking of notes in the field by 

 making them more compact than where a stem analysis sheet for each 

 tree is used. The headings of the field note-book are as follows : 



. I. Tree number (serial). 



2. Species. 



3. Site class. 



4. Crown class. 



5. D. b. h. 



6. Stump: Age, d. i. b., height. 



7. Logs I (top), 2, 3, etc.: Age, d. i. b., length. 



8. Length of top. 



9. Merchantable length. 



10. Total height without stump. 



11. Stump diameter growth by decades (both counted and 



measured out from center, neglecting odd rings at pe- 

 riphery). 



The trees are numbered serially, the numbers being marked on the 

 stumps, so that the measurements at the ends of the logs may be taken 

 first before they are skidded and the detailed stump measurements left 

 if necessary for a short time. The serial numbers also provide for 



