CHAPTER IX 



MEASURING THE FOREST CROP 



FOREST mensuration, the measuring of the forest 

 crop and the determination of growths and yields, is 

 a branch of forestry which is increasing in impor- 

 tance with the rapid rise in timber values. When 

 first growth timber land could be bought for a few 

 cents or much less than one dollar per acre, the forest 

 was "cruised" or looked over by an experienced "land 

 looker" or "timber cruiser," who estimated the amount 

 of timber it contained and the approximate price that 

 ought to be paid for it by simply going through the 

 tract. It was a matter of judgment and experience and 

 since the estimates were always very conservative the 

 outcome was generally satisfactory. "When large cor- 

 porations began acquiring extensive holdings for 

 speculative purposes, competition became more keen, 

 higher prices were demanded and consequently, some- 

 thing more than a guess was required. Thus the 

 systematic methods of timber estimating were adopted 

 in this country as the result of dire necessity. 



In the same way the study of growth and yields was 

 adopted. When the forest resources were considered 

 inexhaustible a lumberman considered his forest land 

 as a mine, to be stripped and abandoned as soon as 

 possible. More timber land could be bought and the 

 process repeated. Through buying virgin timber land 

 for a song and selling the manufactured lumber at a 

 fair figure huge fortunes were accumulated. Now that 



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