40 TIMBER BONDS 



observation, together with notations as to the 

 surface of the ground, general logging chance, 

 character of soil, etc. At night he makes out 

 from his field book an accurate plat, or timber 

 estimate and field report sheet, one for each 

 section of land estimated. 



''One of these plats shows a square mile of 

 the timber owned by a large Southern Lumber 

 Co., which is estimated to cut 4,765,000 feet of 

 lumber from logs 15 inches in diameter and up- 

 wards, and 1,033,000 feet from logs 8 inches to 

 15 inches in diameter, also 46,000 feet of dead 

 timber, all of yellow pine ; 38,000 feet of cypress 

 lumber, 30 cypress poles, 385 ties, 2,000 feet of 

 gum, 14,000 feet of palmetto and 3,000 feet of 

 swamp oak. The estimator in his report says : 

 'Pine large and of good quality, not boxed; 

 some sapling pine ; surface slightly rolling with 

 a considerable slope to the south; soil light, 

 sandy loam, good farming land ; pine 573 acres, 

 waste 67 acres, total 640 acres.' The estimator 

 signs each plat, which is given to Mr. Straight, 

 who sends it to us by registered mail or ex- 

 press, first making a copy which he delivers to 

 the party making the bond issue. These plats 

 are useful after the bond issue has been made. 



"In the meantime, Mr. Straight is not idle. 

 He carries his bedding, his baggage, and feed 

 for his horse, ready to camp and sleep where 

 night overtakes him, if he does not strike the 

 camp of one of his crews. He is accompanied 

 by a compassman and 'horse-shoes' and 'strips,' 



