FOREST RESERVE MANUAL. 39 



5. Recommendations concerning proposed sale, with reasons 

 for them. These should embrace such points as the probable 

 effect on the future composition of the forest and the water- 

 flow of the region; the condition of the timber in so far as it 

 affects the policy of holding it for advance in price; the need 

 for the timber applied for; the possibility or difficulty of get- 

 ting it in some better place; the reliability of the applicant, 

 and the price which should be obtained. The latter point is one 

 of great importance, and should be decided, not by general 

 precedent in the region, but by the actual value of the timber 

 as determined by its character, difficulty to log, and distance 

 from market. Timber on a gentle slope and near a mill or 

 drivable stream may be worth more than twice that made 

 inaccessible by canyons or distance. The forest officer should 

 determine the cost of marketing all material and recommend 

 prices which will make it approximately equally desirable. 



The report upon the foregoing points must be made upon 

 the blank for block description already described. If it pro- 

 vides insufficient space, additional matter may be affixed. If 

 the tract applied for is less than a block, and the estimate for 

 the latter can not be relied upon for the small area in question, 

 a separate estimate should be made and submitted upon 

 another blank. 



MARKING AND CUTTING. 



If the application is approved, the head ranger or super- 

 visor (with assistance, if necessary) will mark at once all trees 

 to be cut. This is imperative in all cases involving living 

 timber. Where only dead timber is purchased, and there is 

 no danger of confounding it with timber in various stages of 

 injury or disease, the marking of individual trees will be dis- 

 pensed with. In such instances the forest officer may simply 

 blaze and mark the boundary of the cutting area and instruct 

 the purchaser in the manner of cutting. 



The marking of standing timber must be done with the 

 "U. S." stamping hammer, and all trees must be marked 

 near the ground in order that the stumps may afford positive 

 evidence of the marking. Where snow may conceal such 

 marking from the cutters, it will be necessary to mark each 

 tree at a point several feet from the ground also. 



Unless an emergency is declared by the Secretary,^pf the 



