298 



Canadian Forestry Journal, July, 1919 



of size, species, or condition. What method is 

 used in determining these valuations? Up to 

 the present time there have been a number of 

 niethods used. 



$500 for a Single Tree. 



First, the arbitrary method; as for instance, 

 in Massachusetts, where a State law formerly 

 gave the court the privilege of placing a fine of 

 not less than $5, nor more than $150, on a 

 person found guilty of destroying a tree. This 

 left it optional with the judge as to how much 

 it should be. In New York State the court has 

 established a record by handing down a verdict 

 of $500 apiece for the destruction of a tree 

 by a construction company. In some cases an 

 arbitrary value has been placed on the tree by 

 means of its diameter, as for instance, $2.00 

 per inch; that is, a tree 18 inches in diameter 

 would be worth $36.00. 



Second, the replacement value, under which 

 would come such cases as are settled on a basis 

 of the cost of replacement. 



Third, is the method of placing an arbitrary 

 value per square mch of basal area taken at 

 breast height, or AYi feet from the ground. The 

 usual figure used in this case is $1.00. This is 

 used principally because it is easy to figure with. 

 In this case a tree 18 inches in diameter having 

 a basal area of 254.47 square inches, would be 

 considered worth $254.47. This is rather dif- 

 ferent from the first example and obviously 

 quite as much too large, for an average case, as 

 the first is too small. 



The Parker Method. 



The fourth, called the Parker method, is a 

 variation of the above. In this case $1.00 per 

 square inch of basal area is allowed, but a 

 reduction is made for position, species, trunk, 

 . condition, top condition, and general desirabil- 

 ity, scenic value, etc. Twenty per cent is al- 

 lowed for each of five heads when perfect. An 

 optional reduction is made for defects and the 

 resultant figures added together and multiplied 

 into the basal area valuation. This is by far 

 the best of any system that has yet been ad- 

 vocated. It, however, has certain defects, as it 

 tends to give too high a value to certain 

 species. 



For a number of years I have given much 

 attention to a study of the valuation of trees 

 and am convinced that some standard of valua- 

 tion should be adopted. 



In analyzing the various methods now in use 

 it seems that the most accurate way of estimat- 

 ing the value of a tree is by means of its basal 



area, as this is the best graphic indication of the 

 tree's size of crown, which, after all, is the real 

 valuable part of the shade tree. 



No accurate basal area factor can be derived 

 that will be equally valuable for all species. It 

 becomes apparent then that we must first obtain 

 a value per square inch for basal area that has 

 some definite foundation, and then arrange a 

 sliding scale of deduction factors for various 

 species, according to their specie value, that is, 

 rate of growth and resistance to insects, dis- 

 ease, climate and present physical condition. 



To obtain the first ,the sugar maple was sel- 

 ected as a standard species, because it has been 

 more commonly planted for the past fifty years 

 than any other tree, and we have more avail- 

 able data in regard to it. In order to reach a 

 definite figure to apply to the basal area, we 

 based our calculations on the amount of money 

 invested in growing a tree to a diameter that 

 would produce that basal area. This includes 

 the original cost of the tree, its planting and 

 maintenance. By using the best available 

 figures for a sugar maple, we found that the 

 average value per square inch of basal area 

 at the end of fifty years is 64J/2 cents. This is 

 the value of an ideal tree under perfect con- 

 ditions. 



Reduction Factors. 



The next step was to obtain a scale of reduc- 

 tion factors for species and condition. It is 

 evident that by the use of this method the value 

 placed on a 12-inch fast growing tree would be 

 the same as on a 12-inch slow growing tree, 

 whereas the actual value of the slow grown 

 tree would be much more. For instance, from 

 a standpoint of interest on investment and main- 

 tenance, a 12-inch beech would be worth very 

 much more than a 12-inch poplar. 



To obtain a deduction factor, the most com- 

 mon species were divided into five classes, ac- 

 cording to their rate of growth, and a propor- 

 tional deduction made for each class. 



As all trees are not equally valuable on ac- 

 count of their susceptibility to insects and dis- 

 eases, they were again divided into five classes 

 and the same deductions made. 



One more reduction factor was necessary to 

 complete the list ,that for the present physical 

 condition of the tree. To obtain this a reduc- 

 tion was made for the condition of the top and 

 trunk, and the resulting figure used as the 

 factor. 



By applying the factors, obtained from the 

 above deductions, to all common species of 

 shade trees, we found that the sugar maple was 



