26 FOREST REGULATION 



He needs a local man familiar with the tract, and able to take him 

 at least to a fair number of Section corners without special delay. 

 Aside from a number of samples, to steady his judgment, it is, 

 not a deta.il estimate or cruise, but an orderly covering of the land 

 to ascertain : 



Character of land, topography and soil. 



Character of forest ; its present condition on every section ; 

 proportion of swamp, hardwoods and pine lands. 



In such a cruise it is enough to know, at any one time, that it 

 is good hardwood forest, and it is not necessary to stop and estimate 

 the amount of timber by species, etc. It is well to verify a few 

 estimates of the cruise made for the owner at time of purchase. 

 Matters of reproduction, growth, and also cases of burns are noted, 

 but not studied in detail. 



c) Study of General Conditions. This is a matter of canvass 

 as well as visit. Here the Forester learns about : 



Roads and streams which may be useful to the enterprise ; 

 distances to railway, to sawmill. 



Market for the different kinds of stuff now upon the land ; 

 chance to sell on stump, in log delivered, value of lumber, poles, 

 ties, etc. 



Chances to get labor, wages, etc., to get logging done by con- 

 tract, and usual prices ; to get stuff manufactured. 



Safety of property from fire and trespass and possibilities to 

 make it more safe. 



Agricultural and other development of the district. 



Notes on climate, days of sleigh haul, usual depth of snow, 

 matters of frost (agriculture) ; regular dry spells, and also recur- 

 rence of dry seasons. A great deal of valuable matter is gathered 

 incidentally. From the local representative and still more from 

 local people the attitude of the people towards such a large property 

 should be ascertained. 



This outside study should take about 10 days. 



d) Compilation of this information into a Report. This 

 report must be very brief, and even then it should have the most 

 essential points separated and categorically stated on one page. 



