320 SALE AND TRANSPORT OF PRODUCE 



at a special rate, and 66 cubic feet (actual or true 

 contents) are reckoned to I ton. 



(2) Planks or square baulks of all timbers are carried at 



the same special rate, and 40 or 50 cubic feet (actual 

 or true contents) are reckoned to one ton. 



(3) Round Timber at ordinary rates and 



I Quarter girth measurement over bark, 

 144 divisor;' 

 Or true contents under bark, 1 113 

 divisor, 

 are reckoned to I ton. 



Thus, it is evident that Fir or Pine (only), battens, deals, 

 and boards are given a preference over planks or square 

 baulks of Fir or Pine ; for 66 cubic feet (true contents) are 

 carried to the ton instead of 50 cubic feet (true contents). 

 This preference for the battens, deals, and boards is equivalent 

 to an import duty on the planks or baulks ; hence, merchants 

 are not likely to employ home labour to saw planks, etc., into 

 scantlings, when they have the extra railway freight to 

 pay. 2 



Now, before comparing any rates between square timber 

 (whether imported or not) and round timber, it is necessary 

 to note the difference between the two forms of measuring 

 timber in the round ; and to compare their measurements 

 with the true contents. 



With a bark allowance of I inch to I foot, a log 

 containing 78^ cubic feet over bark with 144 divisor, 

 will give nearly 83 J cubic feet under bark with the 113 

 divisor. So that the latter gives just over 6 per cent, more 

 contents. 



But in the above case the true contents, measured over 

 bark, would be 100 cubic feet. 



Thus, by the tape over bark method, each measured 



1 The rates per measured ton are not necessarily identical for the two 

 forms of measurement ; and loading is only included in the 113 divisor 

 case. 



2 But probably they could not saw up so cheaply as is done abroad, 

 even if all timber, good and bad, were imported in baulks. 



