A MANUAL 



FOR NORTHERN WOODSMEN 

 PART I. LAND SURVEYING 



SURVEYING in forest land as compared with work done in 

 towns and on farms is carried out under unfavorable cir- 

 cumstances. In the first place, timber and brush growth 

 offer an obstruction to sighting; second, the work is often 

 done far from a well supplied base; third, the limits of 

 cost allowed are often the lowest practicable. These con- 

 ditions have a strong effect upon the methods employed, 

 and they also affect the choice of outfit. Equipment for 

 such work should not usually be expensive, it should be 

 as compact and portable as possible, and it should not 

 be so delicate or so complicated as to be likely to get 

 seriously out of order and so hold up a job. 



SECTION I 

 THE SURVEYOR'S COMPASS 



Compass and Chain are the instruments that at present 

 are most largely employed in forest land surveying, and 

 there is little doubt that they will continue to be so em- 

 ployed. The compass is one of the mainstays of the 

 practical woodsman. He should thoroughly understand 

 its capacities and limitations, and should have perfect 

 command of all parts of his own particular instrument. 



1. THE INSTRUMENT 



The essential parts of the surveyor's compass are a 

 magnetic needle for finding a meridian line, a horizontal 

 graduated circle for laying off angles from this meridian, 

 and sights attached for use in prolonging lines on the 

 ground. 



