METHODS OF REALISATION. 87 



take advantage of this period. Again, realisation 

 does not necessarily imply complete dismissal of 

 whole woods or forests, it means possibly progressive 

 thinnings it applies to the earliest thinnings, to a 

 money return in any form ; but, nevertheless, we 

 apply the term here to the selling of full-grown 

 timber which has reached a saleable maturity, and 

 propose to treat the subject, first, as to methods of 

 realisation, and secondly, as to measurement and 

 valuation. 



We shall endeavour to describe the methods usually 

 employed in the realisation of timber, and then, for 

 the benefit of young beginners, describe fully the 

 methods of valuation of both standing and felled 

 timber, with the rules of measurement applicable. 

 Our remarks will apply only to round timber to the 

 timber as it is felled and taken from the wood. We 

 are dealing with forestry from an estate point of view, 

 and not from the point of view of the timber merchant. 

 We shall not, therefore, pursue the subject into the 

 mysteries of conversion, for this, though allied to 

 forestry, is wide of our mark, and would carry us into 

 a business which needs the experience of a life. To 

 make the most out of a round piece of timber requires 

 skill unknown to the forester ; and many unsuccessful 

 timber merchants probably trace their want of success 

 to this very failing. 



The forester should know, of course, for the purpose 

 of valuation, what each tree is fitted for ; but his work 

 is complete when he has felled, valued, and sold it. 



We took occasion in the early part of this book to 

 comment upon the lack of knowledge of forestry in 



