200 THE THEORY AND PRACTICE OF WORKING PLANS 



Before the working-plan data are secured, the forest is care- 

 fully gone over by the officials who are concerned in the organi- 

 zation of the forest. This, also involves the critical scrutiny 

 of the existing working plan in all its parts. This examination 

 lays stress on the division of area, the descriptions of site and 

 of stands, the estimates of growing stock and of increment, the 

 results of the previous management, and the basic provisions 

 of the proposed future management. 



The new prescription makes the stand (subcompartment) 

 the unit of management; as far as according to species, age, 

 and site it will probably remain permanently an area for inde- 

 pendent treatment. 



The minimum size of such a stand is not prescribed. Site 

 classes are determined by use of average height and age accord- 

 ing to Eberhard's site-class tables. For determining stock 

 the same tables are used reduced by lo per cent. Only the vol- 

 ume of the main stand is used, the intermediary stand, 5 to 10 

 per cent of the total, is neglected, which opens up the possi- 

 bility of great variety of opinion as to what to count to main 

 and intermediary, stand, and to likely underestimates. 



The increment, however, is to be ascertained on both final 

 and intermediary yield; namely, a total average increment for 

 the rotation under normal stock conditions, and a current 

 increment for the first decade. Also the mean annual felling 

 age increment for each working group is to be ascertained by 

 use of the tables checked by sample areas. These latter are 

 to be made permanent, so that the progress of increment can 

 be studied. 



Age-class distribution according to area and volume, and 

 comparison with normality is to be specially looked after, 

 but the normal stock is to be figured from the yield tables, not 

 as hitherto according to formula. 



The forest capital is to be ascertained for comparison with 

 the annual net yield according to most modern valuation 

 methods. Stands up to forty years of age are to be calculated 

 at actual cost value, older stands at sale values; soil values as 



