THE SELECTION SYSTEM 59 



marker to see the trees already blazed. Sometimes the 

 trees are blazed on two sides. 



A very rapid and convenient method of marking is to 

 use a crew of three men, with one man to indicate the 

 trees and the other two to make the marks. Frequently 

 two or more men work together in a line, each selecting 

 and marking trees. This method requires that each 

 be a skilful marker, and is ordinarily more expensive 

 than that of using one expert with one or more un- 

 skilled blazers. 



The cost of marking varies enormously. The first 

 work of marking in a forest is more expensive than later 

 marking, done after the markers have been trained to 

 the details of the work. At first the marking must be 

 done by an experienced forester. Frequentlv, he can 

 later turn the work over to a competent ranger and 

 direct the work by occasional inspection, and thus reduce 

 the cost. 



In this country the cost of marking, in selection 

 forests, has so far varied from 2.5 to 10 cents for each 

 thousand board feet marked. 



The cost of marking depends on the following factors: 



1. Size of the Operation. — In general, the average 

 cost per unit of volume of timber cut for marking is in 

 inverse ratio to the size of the area marked. 



2. Yield. — The larger the yield per acre and the 

 larger the contents of the individual trees, the smaller 

 the unit cost of marking. 



3. Skill of the Marker. — An experienced marker can 



