ROUGH CONVERSION. 253 



forests, or in districts containing many private and communal 

 forests. 



6. General Itule* regarding Conversion. 



Forest-managers should bear in mind the following rules 

 regarding conversion of timber and firewood : 



(a) The most urgent local demands of right-holders and 

 contractors must be satisfied first, and the conversion of the 

 remaining material effected from a strictly financial point of 

 view, that is, with a thorough knowledge of the actual demands 

 of the market. 



(b) After carefully considering the demand, the wood should 

 be converted so as to yield the highest possible net-value on 

 deducting the cost of conversion. Hence, the mode of conver- 

 sion is a purely local affair, and will vary greatly according to 

 circumstances in different forest ranges. 



(c) The conversion into any assortment should be regulated in 

 quantity, so as not to glut the market, and to allow of the demands 

 for other assortments being fully met. Forest-managers should, 

 therefore, be conversant with the state of the supply of different 

 classes of material from other forests which compete with their 

 own. 



(d) The rarer and more valuable any assortments, the greater 

 care must be bestowed on their conversion. This is especially 

 the case with oak and large coniferous timber. 



(e) Conversion of timber often is effected better when different 

 classes of workmen are employed for the different works. Thus, 

 in broadleaved forests the work commences with the felling and 

 conversion of the large timber trees ; after all the best timber 

 is ready, what is left is converted into firewood and other inferior 

 assortments. In coniferous forests it is often customary and 

 advisable first to prepare the various cloven wares, such as 

 shingles, staves, etc., then the butts for sawmills and the logs, 

 and finally the firewood. 



(f) The forest-manager should ascertain always the wishes of 

 timber-merchants, manufacturers and craftsmen of the neigh- 

 bourhood, and they may be encouraged to visit the felling-area 

 for this purpose, but he should be on his guard lest by following 

 the advice of any of them competition for the produce may be 

 reduced. 



