PRACTICE OF TIMBER ESTIMATING 



199 



his judgment on the contents of the trees. In this con- 

 nection his volume table is of assistance since study of 

 the height and taper of the down timber shows to what 

 portion of his tables its form relates it. Two and three 

 inches per 32 foot log are light tapers, not infrequent in 

 hemlock and young fir, but four and five are usual in 

 mature fir timber. This examination also tells something 

 as to log quality and the amount of defect. Along with 

 it the cruiser makes sure by numerous tests that his eye 

 is true on basal diameter. With these points settled his 

 preliminary work is done and, with an eye out for factors 

 that influence breakage and particularly for "conks" 

 and other signs of unsoundness, he will proceed confi- 

 dently. The figures he sets down on his tablet represent 

 his judgment of the merchantable contents of trees as he 

 passes them, species, individual form, defect, and breakage 

 all being allowed for. The conscientious man, however, 

 applies frequent check by further examination of wind- 

 falls and occasional measurement of strip width and of 

 basal diameters. 



SAMPLE OF CRUISER'S FIELD NOTES 

 (Usually made on celluloid sheets) 



d. Checks from outside are a feature of the work as 

 carried out on a large scale commercially. The different 

 cruisers in a large party may be set to check one another 

 as a corrective and for uniformity; a head cruiser period- 

 ically checks each man to catch up any slackness, correct 

 any wrong tendencies, and give advice or directions. 



Two miles of line per day are the standard product 

 for this method of cruising, giving eight working days to 



