COST PER ACRE. 39 



distance between the drains being 24 feet. The pro- 

 duct of n, the number of half yards in the rod, when 

 multiplied by 24, the distance apart between the 

 drains, is 264 ; then the quotient of 29,040, the 

 number of half yards linear at I foot apart in an 

 imperial statute acre, when divided by 264, is no 

 the number of rods of 5^ yards sought. 



Having obtained this, and knowing, by his own 

 observation, what a good man can open in a day and 

 the wages given, the forester can arrive at a fair idea 

 of the cost per acre. It may assist the forester to 

 know that a labourer accustomed to the work will 

 throw out about 12 cubic yards of earth a day where 

 no " hack " is required, and, if 35. is taken as a day's 

 wage, 3d. per cubic yard will be the cost. Where the 

 soil is light and there are no boulders, 2d. or 2jd. may 

 suffice ; but where boulders or other obstructions do 

 occur, it may easily run to 4d. 



We follow, however, and strongly recommend others 

 to do the same, the principle of day work in most forest 

 operations. Choose good men and pay them liberally, 

 and secure constant and reliable oversight, and the 

 interests of the employer and the future success of the 

 planting will be best secured. The object of a good 

 forester should be to do good work, and not to hurry 

 over it for the sake of cheapness or effect. This is 

 the reason why planting by contract so often fails. 

 There is a tendency to hasten the work, which leads 

 to work of an imperfect character being performed. 



We shall have again to allude to this when dealing 

 with planting by and by. 



Having completed the drainage, the soil thrown out 



