46 



■paths, and of a suitable size. If the growing-stock or quality 

 -of locality varies considerably within the limits of the 

 compartment, sub-compartments may be formed ; and these 

 may be either temporary or permanent. The size of the 

 compartments is important; but no precise rules can be laid 

 down with regard to this subject which depends on the 

 nature of the work and on the minuteness indicated by the 

 treatment. To a certain extent the size will be decided by 

 existing facts. The different portions of the forest having 

 natural limits vary in extent, and the various kinds of crops 

 may be found over large areas or small. But by grouping 

 or by ^sub-dividing, as the case may be, these natural divisions, 

 extremes can always be avoided. If the divisions are small 

 they may be too numerous, and the result is confusion in the 

 plan and a tedious number of separate descriptions. On the 

 other hand if too large, the inventory of the forest is vague 

 and unsatisfactory. 



3. Detailed description of eacU sub-division.— The work of de- 

 scribing the areas into which tlie forest is sub-divided should 

 proceed simultaneously with the sub-division itself. The 

 minuteness of the description depends, as does the sub- 

 division of the area, on the method of treatment adopted and 

 on the object in view. 



The most desirable record may, therefore, vary from a 

 broad general indication of the state of the crop in each 

 block, accompanied by the results of such enumeration 

 surveys as have been carried out, to a detailed and separate 

 account of the situation, and of the soil and stock found 

 in each compartment into which the blocks have been 

 differentiated. 



The work requires trained observation and a good deal of physical exercise bat 



does not call for any ir.volved proi-esi< of reasoning. It is necessary, however, that 



the attention of working-plans officer should be continuously sustained so that no 



impoitatit facts may escape him. He should not, therefore, attempt more at one time 



•, t\ian can be accomplished without over-fatigue. 



Tlie methods of naming or numbering the sub-divisions 

 of a forest differ very considerably. In India, the blocks 

 are usually denoted by local names or by Eoman numbers ; 

 the compartments by Arabic numbers; and the sub-compart- 

 ments (if any) by small Moman letters. The numbering of 

 tlie compartments should be consecutive tiiroughout the 

 felling series, as a separate series for each block leads to 

 confusion. 



