CHAPTER VIII 



MEASUREMENT OF LOGS AND OTHER FOREST PRODUCTS 



UNITS OF MEASUREMENT 



The common method of measuring the contents of logs is by 

 the board foot, although volume standards are also in use. 



Firewood, acid wood, pulp wood, excelsior wood, stave bolts, 

 spool wood and novelty wood are ordinarily measured by the 

 cord (page 114). Some products such as hoop poles are sold by 

 the hundred or thousand pieces; posts and poles are measured 

 by the linear foot, thousand board feet, or piece; shake and 

 shingle-bolt material either by the cord or by the thousand board 

 feet; mine timber by the piece, linear foot or board measure; 

 crossties by the piece or thousand board feet. 



Cubic measure is occasionally used in some parts of the coun- 

 try- for the measurement of high-priced vehicle woods, fancy 

 hardwoods, red cedar pencil stock, pulpwood and, in the South, 

 for export timbers. 



The metric system was adopted in the Philippine Islands some 

 years ago, but it is not used in the United States. 



BOARD MEASURE 



Although board measure is designed primarily for the measure- 

 ment of sawed lumber it is also a common method for expressing 

 the volume of logs. When used for this purpose it does not show 

 the actual contents of the log but the estimated amount of 

 sawed lumber that sound, straight logs of specified lengths and 

 diameters will yield. 



The board foot is a section 12 inches square and i inch in 

 thickness. Although it is based on a thickness of i inch, in prac- 

 tice it is applied to sawed material greater than i inch in thick- 

 ness, the contents being in proportion to their relation to the 

 unit. In most sections lumber is cut scant in thickness and 



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