22 



BULLETIN 55, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGKICULTURE. 



two stacks is known. Only by knowing this can one avoid paying 

 the same amount of money for different amounts of solid wood. 

 Table 5 gives the sohd volume of wood in a cord according to size 

 and length of the sticks. Other factors which influence the solid 

 contents are variable, and are therefore not considered. Sticks 

 with a diameter of more than 7 inches at the upper end are usually 

 derived from the lower part of the trunk, are free from branches, 

 and cylindrical in shape. Sticks less than 7 inches in diameter come 

 usually from the upper parts of the trees. The mixture of these 

 two classes is typical of most of the pulpwood offered on the market. 



Table 5. — Volume of solid wood per cord . 



Lengtli. 



Small 



diameter 



over 7 



inches. 



Small 



diameter 



from 7 to 4 



inches. 



First and 

 second 

 classes 

 mixed. 



1 



' Feet. 

 4 

 8 

 12 

 16 



Cubicfeet. 

 96.7 

 91.6 

 86.2 

 SO. 2 



Cubicfeet. 

 92.4 

 87.2 

 SI. 6 

 75.5 



Cubicfeet. 

 94.9 

 89.7 

 84. 3 

 7S.3 



Table 5 is presented as a basis for specifications in contracts for 

 pulpwood. Designating the money value of 1 cord of 4-foot logs 

 of the third class as 100, the value of 1 cord of logs of the lengths 

 and cUameters given in table 6 wUl be as follows: 



Table 6.- 



-Relative money value of cords composed of logs of different lengths ayid 

 diameters. 



Length. 



Small 



diameter 



over 7 



inches. 



Small 



diameter 



from 7 to 4 



inches. 



First and 

 second 

 classes 

 mixed. 



Feel. 

 4 

 8 

 12 

 16 



Per cent. 

 101.8 

 96.6 

 90.9 

 84.6 



Per cent. 

 97.4 

 91.9 

 86.0 

 79.6 



Per cent. 

 100.0 

 94.6 

 88.9 

 82.6 



LIFE HISTORY OF BALSAM FIR. 



GENERAL APPEARANCE. 



Balsam fir (Ahies halsamea (Linn.) ]\IJ11.) is a small evergreen tree, 

 seldom reaching, in the State of New York, a height of 85 feet and a 

 diameter of 18 inches breast high, (Plate I.) In Maine occasional 

 trees attain a height of 95 or 100 feet and a diameter of 25 or 30 inches. 

 As a rule, however, mature trees are from 12 to 16 inches in diameter 

 and from 70 to 80 feet high. Of all the northern softwoods, balsam fir 

 is probably one of the most symmetrical trees. The bole has a very 

 uniform and gi-adual taper closely resembling a cylinder in form. 



