69 



compact portion of a compartment not exceeding a few- 

 hundred acres in extent. The survey should, if possible, be 

 effected over successive narrow strips, each strip being gone 

 over once and in a direction opposite to that in which the 

 immediately preceding strip has been surveyed. On steep 

 slopes it is convenient to run the strips horizontally and to- 

 begin at ti)e bottom of the slope. The number of measurers^ 

 that can keep one recorder fully employed depends on the 

 density of the forests, on the nature of the ground, and on 

 whether all or only certain classes of the trees composing 

 the crop are to be measured. The number of measurers for 

 each recorder may then, according to circumstances, range 

 from 2 to 6, or even 7 or 8. As survey progresses, the trees 

 measured are immediately marked. The mark should be 

 made on the side towards the area still remaining to be 

 surveyed, so that, when the next strip is beitig exramined, the 

 men can at once recognise up to what point the strip just 

 completed extends. The duty of the recorder is to see tliat 

 all the trees are measured, that the callipers are properly 

 applied, the diameters read before the callipers are removed,, 

 and the mark made on the correct side of each tree measured.^ 

 He should also note the distinction drawn by the mensurers^ 

 between sound and unsound trees, and he should keep his men, 

 as far as may be, in sight and in line. When a division into- 

 height classes is necessary, he has also to measure or ta 

 estimate by eye, the height class of each tree as it is gauged. 



The soundness or otherwise of a tree cannot always be determined, and many^ 

 trees which are ansonnd at the base may be sound throughout the greater part of the 

 stem. Trees are generally classed as unsound if they are noticenbly decayed or hol- 

 low in the stem ; if they 1 ave half-dead crowns or are stag-headed ; or if they give- 

 bacl: a hollow sound when struck with an axe by a man standing on the ground. 



For the purpose of aheching the enumeration certain 

 areas or plots should be selected for re-survey, and the officer 

 m charge should he present during at least one day's record- 

 ing in each plot and should add the record made by himself 

 to that made before his arrival. By keeping a careful 

 account of the number of tickets issued and of the number 

 returned, the balance that has been expended of each kind i& 

 known, and these numbers afford an additional rough check 

 on the number of each kind of tree. But unless the 

 countings are actually verified, tickets may be either 

 accidentally lost or intentionally made away with, and the 

 record may be completed accordingly so as to lead to the 

 belief that a large amount of the work had been accom- 

 Dlished. Constant and careful supervision by a trustworthy 



