26 



THE THEORY AND PRACTICE OF WORKING PLANS 



Seedlings are all trees under 5 feet in height; these are usually 

 counted on a quarter-acre circle at the end of every ten chains 

 or so, to supplement the notes on reproduction.* 



Saplings are from 5 feet in height to, say, 6 inches diameter 

 breast high. 



Poles are over, say, 6 inches diameter breast high up to the 

 minimum merchantable diameter. Poles and saplings are 

 usually counted and tallied just like the larger timber. 



While the strip estimates, in combination with volume 

 tables, usually give more accurate results than an ocular esti- 

 mate, the greater expense of the former and the longer time 

 required to cover a given area often decide in favor of the latter, 

 especially where a rough estimate suffices and data on diameter 

 classes are not requisite. 



Various methods of ocular estimating have been devised; 

 for purposes of forest organization the method of reconnaissance 



* The Society of American Foresters recognizes the following tree classes: 



Seedling: a tree, growTi from seed, not yet 3 feet high. 



Shoot: a sprout, not yet 3 feet high. 



Small sapling: a tree from 3 to 10 feet high. 



Large sapling: a tree lo feet or over in height and less than 4 inches d.b.h. 



Small pole: a tree from 4 to 8 inches d.b.h. 



Large pole: a tree from 8 to 12 inches d.b.h. 



Standard: a tree from i to 2 feet d.b.h. 



Veteran: a tree over 2 feet d.b.h. 



