COMPLETE YIELD TABLES FOE BEITISH WOODLANDS 



It is most important that foresters should get into 

 the habit of assessing the quality of the locality for 

 different kinds of trees in respect of all land under their 

 charge. For it is only by so doing, and by having 

 regard to the corresponding yield tables, that it is 

 possible to become acquainted with and to fully realise 

 the productive capacity of any land, and, consequently, 

 the financial returns likely to be obtained by the growth 

 of any particular crop. 



Now, the best practical method of assessing the 

 quality of any locality, is by reference to the height 

 growth of a crop at any particular age. In the follow- 

 ing tables the height to the very top of the trees is 

 stated, as by so doing inaccuracies are avoided. The 

 top of the tree affords an exact point to which measure- 

 ments can be taken, and thereby comparisons with 

 measurements which others may take are rendered less 

 difficult ; whereas, were the Quality of the locality 

 gauged by the height growth to (say) 5 or 6 inches 

 quarter girth, a standard would be set up the very 

 nature of which would preclude the possibility of 

 constant accuracy. 



However, in the case of all trees which, if given 

 sufficient growing space, tend to form spreading crowns, 

 the height growth alone is apt to cause deception, unless 



the trees have been grown in a reasonably close canopy. 

 So that, where such trees have been grown with 

 obviously a thinner canopy than that indicated by the 

 table, it is necessary also to have regard to the growth 

 in girth that has taken place at any particular age. 



Thus it will be apparent that in any given district, 

 even where there are existing woods upon which to 

 base an opinion, it is not altogether an easy matter to 

 correctly assess the quality of a locality. And, of 

 course, in unwooded districts the task is rendered still 

 more difficult. 



Measurements of Timber. All contents, as 

 stated, are arrived at by quarter girth measurements 

 (under bark), taken with string. All the timber ex- 

 ceeding 3 inches in diameter under bark has been 

 included. 



Furthermore, the ordinary methods made use of 

 when measuring timber in this country have been 

 adopted, except that, as already indicated, all " tops " 

 exceeding 3 inches in diameter have been included, 

 even in the case of large-girthed trees. This has been 

 rendered necessary in order to avoid confusion, as data, 

 are given for the early stages of the various crops, when 

 so much of the timber is of very small dimensions. The 



