52 NATIONAL FOREST MANUAL TIMBER SALES. 



It is assumed that purchasers utilize the maximum amount of 

 unnecessary loss ma terial in manufacture. Since the Government can 

 in manufacture not not be held responsible for loss caused by poor equip- 

 ment or poor management, the sealer should not taKe 

 them into consideration. 



Loss may be caused by too thick slabbing; cutting material too 

 thick or too wide at the main saw; poorly "sized" lumber; excessive 

 "crowding" by the sawyer; poorly kept saws which "run;" waste in 

 edging and trimming through ignorance or carelessness ; sawing for a 

 certain class of material regardless of the quantity of waste this 

 involves. 



It is important that measurement of lengths be made frequently 

 Measuring log enough to be sure that logs do not exceed the allow- 

 lengths. ance f or trimming specified in the contract. 



If the sealer finds frequent violations, he will measure every log, 

 and all logs found overrunning the trimming allowance will be scaled 

 as if 2 feet longer, or 1 foot longer where the contract provides for 

 odd lengths. Penalty scaling will be noted in the scale book against 

 the number of the log so scaled to avoid possible controversy. 



Frequent measuring is especially important on small sales where a 

 Forest officer is not always present, because sawyers are more apt to 

 be lax in measuring than when an officer is daily checking lengths. 



Logs will be scaled in odd lengths if provided for in the contract. 



All diameters will be measured inside the bark at the top end of 



Findin diameters ^ ne ^^' ? ^& s are I \^ rounc ^j sealers will average the 

 greatest diameter inside the bark at the top end of the 

 log with the diameter at right angles to this. The necessary re- 

 duction in diameter will be made for swelling at the scaling end of 

 a log when no lumber can be produced from it. 



Diameters will be rounded off to the nearest inch above or below 

 the actual diameter. 



Any portion of a log which contains a fault which prevents its manu- 

 Defects in 10 s ^ acture into merchantable lumber is cull, and will not 



be scaled and charged to the purchaser. 

 The following defects are most common: 



Uniform center or circular rot, circular shake, pin dote, ground or 

 stump rot, cat face, dote at side of log extending to the bark, burns or 

 defect caused by lightning extending along side of log, defect caused 

 by lightning extending along the log in spiral form, punky or soft sap, 

 deep checks or seams, dote appearing in knots, curve, or sweep, crooks, 

 crotches, and blue sap. 



In general, a log containing sufficient sound material to saw out 



salable lumber equal to one- third of its contents as 



teria e i. rchantablema " given by the scale rule is termed /'merchantable." 



This will be varied in accordance with the character 



of the timber and local market conditions. 



The term " sound material" is here used to signify such material as 

 will produce lumber grading not below No. 3 common, or the lowest 

 grade commonly merchantable in the markets supplied. Supervisors 

 will, wherever advisable, furnish sealers with specifications of No. 3 

 common lumber, or the lowest grade commonly merchantable, from 

 the grading rules of the recognized lumber associations in the vicinity 

 of their Forests. The sealer is not expected to be a grader, but the 



