BUSINESS PRINCIPLES INVOLVED. 469 



sale that every would-be purchaser may easily ascertain its 

 quality. In a similar way, full measure should always be given 

 in firewood stacks, and a thorough understanding arrived at as 

 to the sale measurements of logs, in order to maintain a good 

 credit with purchasers. 



A most careful assortment in accordance with prices inspires 

 purchasers with confidence. With the same end in view, the 

 price-tarifi" should also be most carefully compiled in accordance 

 with the real value of the wood-assortments. Above all, timber 

 should be carefully classed as regards its quality, and a forester 

 should give no cause for a report that he sells half-rotten or 

 inferior material as good timber. He should also take great 

 care not to mix inferior wood with good material, hoping thus 

 to obtain a better sale for the former. 



It is now about time to secure uniformity in all wood 

 measurements — especially should all timber be measured without 

 its bark, and old country measures should give place to the 

 metric system. Only absolute clearness in measuring leads to 

 genuine trade. It frequently happens that in slack times for 

 trade, logs are measured below their actual dimensions, or 

 timber classified below its proper rating, with the object of 

 finding ready purchasers at prices which appear to be on a par 

 with, or even to exceed, the fixed tariff. Such manipulation 

 must be entirely abnegated, for it impairs the confidence traders 

 should feel in the honesty and accuracy of forest officials, 

 hinders the compilation of a correct tariff, and serves only to 

 blind superior otticials. 



3. The Produce to he Sold. 



Every felling-area yields good as well as inferior wood. The 

 forester should always attend most carefully to the conversion and 

 assortment of good material, for this chiefly affects the financial 

 returns of his forest ; he should also endeavour as much as 

 possible to avoid overstocking the market with inferior wood. 

 This should be especially attended to when trade is slack, or the 

 sale of good material will be prejudiced. 



When the market is overstocked, it is better to leave stump- 

 wood and inferior firewood in the forest than allow it to reduce 



