206 A MANUAL FOR NORTHERN WOODSMEN 



Shop logs 40-45 per cent No. 2 Shop and better, a fifth 

 to a fourth B and C. 



Rough logs have yielded about 15 per cent No. 2 Shop 

 and better. 



For the Novice. From the foregoing it will be inferred 

 that the best timber cruising in the Pacific region is a 

 highly expert business, requiring in addition to accuracy 

 and alertness, thorough personal training and judgment 

 in high degree. There are always learners in the field, 

 however, and occasionally inexpert men are so situated 

 that with whatever equipment they can command they 

 must do their best to size up the quantity and value of 

 timber. To such, a caution in respect to the loss of ap- 

 parent volume that breakage, shake and decay may 

 cause and the very large part that location, and especially 

 quality, play in the value of timber is an essential service. 

 Then it is true and worthy of regard that in these cir- 

 cumstances simple methods may actually give the best 

 results. 



A man may learn much in a logging operation where 

 timber similar to that he is concerned with can be ex- 

 amined after it is felled and bucked into logs. He can 

 see how much is broken up, whether the timber is rotten 

 or sound, and from the cross cuts and surface indications 

 of the logs examined at close range get an idea of the prev- 

 alence of knots, shakes and other blemishes. Then he 

 can scale up the logs from a number of trees, ascertain- 

 ing the total length utilized and the quantity of mer- 

 chantable timber derived from each tree. This he will 

 attach to its length and base diameter and endeavor to 

 link up with trees of similar dimensions standing. 



Such work as this will enable a man to understand a 

 volume table, and he may even get enough measures to 

 make one for himself in some size groups, with which he 

 may check published volume tables. Or old devices and 

 short cuts 1 may be tried out with the idea of sharpening 



1 Such as the following: 



Average the base diameter of the tree and the top diameter of 

 its merchantable timber; get the scale of a log of that diameter 



