SORTING COXVERTED MATERIAL. 293 



arranged at the depot itself ; this refers chiefly to firewood and 

 small timber. Every kind of material is then arranged in 

 small lots, which can he easily measured and their value 

 estimated. 



This arrangement should be commenced as soon as sufficient 

 stuff has come down from the felling-area, and continued j^ciri 

 2)assu with the conversion and clearance of the latter, so that it 

 may terminate immediately after the felling-area has been 

 cleared. 



The sale-lots may be either in separate pieces, by numbers of 

 pieces, or in stacked volumes. 



1. S'uKjle Pieces forming a Lot. 



All large pieces, such as logs and butts, are measured 

 separately, and even if several such pieces are sold together, the 

 rule is to estimate the value of each piece separately. 



In the case of broad-leaved timber, hardly any two logs or 

 butts are alike, and each piece should be sold separately. Coni- 

 ferous pieces, on the contrary, are far more regular in quality, 

 form and dimensions, especially the butts intended for saw- 

 mills ; a moderate number of similar pieces may therefore be 

 arranged in a lot. Places in which they are to be arranged 

 sbould therefore be shown to the woodcutters before any wood 

 has come down to the depot. 



In forests subject to inundations, logs should be secured with 

 cords or wire to posts driven into the ground. 



"2. A Xidttber of Pieces fonniii;/ d Lot. 



All inferior timber, such as poles, &c., which resemble one 

 another sufficiently, should be placed in lots of 25, 50 or 100. 

 A lot of hop-poles or bean-sticks of first or second quality is 

 easily arranged, an average piece of each kind being selected to 

 guide the workmen. 



Assortments of small timber should therefore be arranged in 

 the depot in classes and sub-classes. This work will be the 

 more easily done if the woodcutters sort them carefully during 

 the clearance of the felling-area. It is everywhere customary to 



