FORESTRY QUARTERLY 



Vol. X] 



March, 1912. 



[No. I. 



METHOD OF TAKING IMPRESSIONS OF YEAR-RINGS 

 IN CONIFERS. 



By L. S. Higgs. 



This method, developed by the writer, is easy, quick, and effi- 

 cient in field-work. The articles required are a little soft graphite, 

 a stencil-brush, and some strips of heavy white blotting-paper 

 with a fine grain, and a hammering tool. The writer ordinarily 

 uses Rising Sun Stove Polish and the Nestor brand of paper. 

 The pole of the cruising-axe, if kept smooth, may be used as 

 a hammer. 



A rule is laid upon the mean radius of the section, and a line 

 is scratched lightly along it with the point of a knife. This line 

 will show on the back of the paper as a guide to the direction 

 of the hammering. Graphite is now rubbed lightly along the line 

 to the required width, and brushed in. It is useful as a lubricant 

 to prevent the paper sticking to pitch or sap, and to give definc- 

 tion to the records by daylight. If neatness of execution be de- 

 sired, all superfluous graphite must be carefully blown or brushed 

 away. 



A strip of paper is laid upon the line, held firmly in place, and 

 tapped with the hammer, preferably from the centre towards the 

 circumference. Care must be taken to proceed and finish in one 

 direction, and not to return upon finished work, because the paper 

 stretches a trifle with the tapping, and among rings of fifty or 

 sixty to the inch, a second blow is apt to blur the definition. The 

 scratched line will appear under the hammer as the tapping pro- 

 ceeds, and will give the desired direction. Two minutes work 

 will give an excellent impression of a thirty-inch section. 



The records are most easily read by artificial light, incident at 



