CHAPTER XXX 

 TIMBER MEASURING 



To those who are not practically acquainted with the 

 measuring of home-grown timber the following brief remarks 

 in elucidation of the subject will be useful. It may, how- 

 ever, be well to mention that timber measuring is rather a 

 vexed question, some following what is known as Hoppus's 

 system, and others advocating that of Horton. The former 

 being that generally in use amongst timber merchants in 

 this country, and consequently of greatest value to the 

 forester, the following details of this system may prove 

 serviceable. 



Regarding the timber-measurer's equipment it may first 

 be necessary to say a few words. This consists of a 66 ft. 

 Chesterman's tape-line, or instead of this a 5 ft. wooden 

 rod, standard girt-strap, or fine cord, scribing knife, and 

 bent piece of iron, with eye at end for drawing the girt- 

 strap beneath such trees as the arm cannot readily pass 

 under. 



For girthing timber a piece of thin whipcord or string is 

 frequently used, but as the elasticity of this varies greatly, 

 and has in many instances led to dispute, a much fairer 

 plan and one that is liable to no abuse is to use the 12 ft. 

 girt-strap, upon which every inch in length is reckoned J. 

 As the proper quarter-girth can be seen at a glance on this 

 strap, its adoption will at once remove any chance of 

 trickery, which may be possible in the use of the string 

 and rule. 



For entering measurements the most convenient book 



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