Forest Survey in Nova Scotia. 203 



a rule it does not pay to push him so hard that he is forced to 

 slight his work and neglect to give proper attention to the timber. 

 The estimating was to be done by traveling the country be- 

 tween the base lines at right angles to them every half mile, and 

 counting the trees on |- acre sample plots every 165 steps, or 

 four plots to the quarter mile. This system allowed a very good 

 estimate at low cost and great speed. While not giving as high 

 a percentage of area estimated on which to compute the total 

 stands as would a caliper crew, it allowed the use of more ex- 

 pert men, with a resulting better knowledge of quality of timber 

 and logging chances, for the same or less expenditure. 



Because of the irregularities of the early surveys of the 

 exterior boundaries it was thought best to allow the lumber 

 company's own engineer, who knew the country well, to resur- 

 vey and renew these lines. At first it was expected that the 

 would be able to keep ahead of the interior survey and estimate; 

 but before the work was done, he had to have assistance from 

 us on about 50 miles of the boundary. 



As soon as Crew A was through with base line 2 East, it moved 

 level work done, the north and south base line was run. This 

 was completed by about the first of July, and then we were 

 ready to undertake the main part of the survey and estimate. 

 With the addition of one of our regular cruisers to our party, 

 we split into two crews. Crew A. being merely a surveying 

 crew, ran out base line 2 East. Crew B., a combined surveying 

 and estimating crew, ran out base line i East, cruising the 

 country north to base line 2 East and south to the boundary. 

 The chainmen carried aneroid barometers, which they read at 

 every quarter-mile at least, and at all well defined heights and 

 valleys, and at all rivers, lakes, etc. The estimators, besides 

 taking counts of trees, took notes on topography, aided by 

 barometers ; noted extent of growth types on their line of travel ; 

 and located all topographical and other features of interest- 

 The barometer work was checked by an aneroid, read in Cross- 

 burn every half hour. All field readings were tied into bench 

 marks established by the preliminary level work, or other points 

 whose elevations had been carried through from such bench 

 marks on some previous day. 



As soon as Crews A was through with base line 2 East, it moved 

 up to base line 4 East ; while Crew B moved to base line 3 East, 



