90 Forest Club Annual 



timber which can be sold, but as the basis for planning the 

 operations to effect some definite headway toward normality 

 or toward silvicultural improvement. 



The data can be gathered satisfactorily in various ways. The 

 following one-man method, adapted by the writer and tested 

 by him for several years, is believed to be sufficiently thorough, 

 practical, expeditious and elastic to fit many different conditions. 



Location of Area. The sale area is located as accurately as 

 conditions warrant. If alienated land can possibly conflict with 

 the sale area, great accuracy in location is obviously necessary, 

 even if assistance must be called. Usually the area is tied to a gov- 

 ernment section corner. Occasionally it becomes necessary, un- 

 fortunately, to tie the area to some natural object that can be 

 located on the map of the district or forest. 



Mapping the Area. 



Simultaneously with the gathering of stock data a rough map 

 is prepared. It shows: (a) the chief features of topography, 

 preferably by contour lines, but less satisfactorily by hachures ; 

 (b) location and extent of grassy parks, burned areas, inacces- 

 sible portions, woodlands and other non-merchantable timbered 

 areas, meadows, swamps, and especially the location and extent 

 of the merchantable timber; (c) streams, roads, trails and any 

 other features of interest. The Forest Service Atlas legend can 

 be conveniently used and the colors applied with crayons while 

 on the area. 



The scale had best be 4, 8, 16, or 32 inches to the mile, as 

 the size of the area dictates. This scale is convenient with the 

 Forest Service Map Sheet form, which is commonly used. The 

 map sheet can be tacked to a thin board and suspended from the 

 shoulder by a strap. On the back of the board a protractor can 

 be drawn with the rays from the focus extending to the edges 

 of the board, so that a convenient clinometer is the result after 

 a cord supporting a light weight is suspended from the focus. 

 The cord is long enough to pass the edges of the board. This 

 little device is very useful in measuring the angle of elevation 

 of a hill or height of a tree in order that in connection with a 

 natural tangent table printed on the board, the heights of objects 

 can be quickly found by multiplying the natural tangent of the 

 angle by the distance to the object. Better than this is the "Roth 

 board." With the relative heights of ridges and hills the con- 

 tour map is made more accurate ; and the heights of a few trees 



