MARKING FOR THINNING. 141 



In marking standing mature timber, say oak, the 

 following is my method : I first provide my- 

 self with a pole 14 feet long, a marking-axe 

 with initial letters, a paint-brush and red paint, 

 a foot-rule with slide, and a leather strap 2 feet 

 long, made out of a seasoned gig-rein, reduced to 

 three-quarters of an inch broad, and marked 

 like a tape-line on the one side, and similarly 

 marked on the other with this difference, that 

 the one side allows one inch for every foot of 

 circumference as allowance for bark, while the 

 other makes no such allowance, being used only 

 for measuring peeled timber. The pole is also 

 graduated and marked with figures, beginning 

 at 6 feet from the ground, and marked in feet 

 and half feet to the top. The slide is used for 

 casting up the contents, but in extensive prac- 

 tice is seldom made use of. 



The strap may be any convenient length, 

 from 15 to 20 feet, three-quarters of an inch 

 broad, and of the strength of a small bridle-rein, 

 with a piece of lead attached to one end of it 

 to make it swing around the tree. Previous to 

 marking the strap with the necessary figures, 

 the leather should be alternately wetted and 

 dried, otherwise it is apt to shrink and expand 

 when in use, according to the state of the 

 weather. A seasoned gig-rein, when reduced 

 to proper dimensions, forms an excellent strap. 

 Such straps, so far as the writer is aware, are 

 not to be bought, but must be home-made, and 



Lead. 



Fig. 2. 



marked as in fig. 2 : 6 being the first figure 

 upon the strap, is exactly 26 inches from the 

 end, including the lead, and is the side of the square. 



