THE NEW FORESTRY. 175 



large-limbed hard-woods the main trunk decreases in girth 

 beyond every " break." That is to say, where limbs diverge from 

 the trunk; hence every break should be measured, separately 

 to get the true contents of the tree — first, its length from the 

 upper side of the limb below to the upper side of the limb 

 above, where the girth drops off, and next the quarter-girth 

 half-way between these two points. This will give the solid 

 contents. It is generally, in park trees where this kind of 

 work has to be done, and as a rule the best plan is to fell 

 these and measure them afterwards. In any case, no novice 

 nor beginner should be allowed to measure timber standing or 

 felled, as he is sure to be far out one way or the other. The 

 next business is the averaging of the poles. This is done by 

 measuring carefully a score or more of poles on one spot, and 

 all on the spot, at regular distances apart, in every part of the 

 wood, so as to get as fair an average as possible. These 

 measurements in cubic feet are then added together and divi- 

 ded by the number of poles which they represent, and the 

 result will be the average to be applied to all the poles in the 

 lot. Thus supposing there are three thousand poles in the lot, 

 and that three hundred poles have been measured, giving an 

 average of five feet, the total quantity of feet in the lot would 

 be fifteen thousand feet, and the price per foot would give the 

 total value. This should be added to the trees, etc., , and all 

 particulars entered in the timber book fully worked out, and 

 the lot is ready to be offered. 



SECTION III. — FALLEN TIMBER. 



Wherever the , proprietor has any doubts about selling his 

 standing timber to advantage, he should sell it down. This 

 will cause an expense of from one penny to twopence per foot 

 in felling, hauling, and lotting, which must be added to the 

 standing price. The lots should be felled between November 

 and March, and every tree and pole should have its contents 

 marked with a scribe on the thick end where they can be seen 

 when the trees are lotted. The different kinds should be 

 lotted in quantities of one hundred feet or thereabout, and 

 arranged according to quality, not mixing the good with the 

 bad, in the false expectation of making the one sell the i other, 

 as is sometimes done. The best price is obtained when the 

 lots are arranged to suit all sorts of purchasers and consumers. 

 Small local consumers do not buy large lots of timber : they do 

 not need them, and will often pick out and buy what they 



