204 The Farm Woodlot 



give the total number of board feet contained in all the 

 logs recorded on the tally sheet, if this represents only a 

 percentage of the whole area correct for 100 per cent. 



One more thing is necessary. Not all these logs will 

 be sound. The percentage of rot will vary with the 

 locality and the species. This percentage of waste for 

 each species can most easily and most accurately be 

 secured by careful inquiries at the nearest saw mill. 

 This percentage of "cull," as it is called, must then be 

 subtracted from the total of each species. 



The farmer is then in a position to sell his timber and 

 drive an equitable bargain. He knows just how much 

 sound timber of each species he has for sale, and the 

 proportion of long lengths. He must, however, remember 

 that his figures are only an estimate and be prepared for 

 a reasonable difference between his figures and those 

 of the buyer, which are also based on an estimate. 



It may be well to describe a common method used by 

 cruisers on large tracts of low value. It is, like most of 

 the cruising methods, based on the estimation of sample 

 areas. The unit sample area is usually the acre. These 

 samples must be located according to some system, for 

 if the cruiser relies wholly upon his judgment, he is apt 

 to place the average too high. For example : the cruiser 

 starts from the southeast corner of the forty, the common 

 unit in all large tracts, and paces west 20 rods, then north 

 20 rods. With this point as a center, he estimates all 

 the trees in a radius of 118 feet, thus covering one acre. 

 He then paces 40 rods west and 40 north and repeats the 

 operation. Twenty rods north and 20 west brings him 

 to the northwest corner of the forty where he can check 



