SELLING WOODLOT PRODUCTS ON MICHIGAN FARMS. 29 



lihood of the farmer losing a large part of the value of the timber. He 



is very apt to sell for what he thinks a "good offer" without taking the 



trouble to find out for himself just how much of each species of tree the 



woodlot contains, and what the best market for it is. The buyer 



naturally pays as little as possible for it, and since he is experienced m 



sizing up timber he is much better prepared than the farmer to estimate 



at a glance the value of the woodlot. In some regions "acreage" prices 



of from $50 to |100, according to the amount, quality, and situation of 



the timber, are customarily offered by portable mill operators. The 



acreage price may be all that the stand is worth, and the buyer may be 



perfectly honest in computing for himself only a fair profit. On the 



other hand, if the buyer is unscrupulous the farmer who does not know 



his timber is at a very great disadvantage in this method of selling. 



Furthermore, much is usually to be gained if the farmer, instead of 



selling through a "middleman," deals directly with the manufacturer for 



whatever materials he can, and sells the rest, in the log or by stumpage, 



to a local sawmill, wood yard, or other purchaser. 



Sales of stumpage (standing timber) are much preferable, since these 

 involve an actual estimate of the standing timber, which is paid for by 

 the tree, or by estimated contents in board feet or other unit. The owner 

 should protect himself by making his own estimate of the stand, in some 

 such way as described on pp. 9 to 15. Having done so, and having 

 found out for himself what values he can command for his rough 

 products in different markets he is, of course, in a position to bargain 

 with local buyers for a lump sum, on the basis either of acreage or of the 

 entire lot. As a result of such an investigation he will often prefer to 

 sell parts of his stand to a number of different dealers in specialized 

 industries, such as veneer, handle, or woodenware manufacturers. 



In most cases, probably, the sale of cut products will be the most 

 satisfactory method of all. Such sales are made either on delivery by 

 the farmer of material cut by himself, or on the scale or tally of timber 

 which is being cut in his woodlot by the buyer. In either case a unit 

 price for each species and form of material is agreed upon in advance. 

 When logs are sold the unit is the thousand feet, board measure, scaled 

 according to a specified log rule. The .Doyle and the Scribner rules are 

 those most used, and of these the Scribner is preferable, since it gives 

 more accurate results with the smaller logs. These rules are given on 

 pp. 31 and 32. To protect himself the farmer should check all scaling, 

 and an understanding as to deduction for defects should be reached in 

 advance of cutting. This is discussed on p. 33 under the heading of 

 "Scaling." In selling to portable mill operators a good basis is the 

 thousand feet of lumber, actually sawed out at the mill. 



The sale on delivery of timber cut by the farmer himself has a great 

 deal to recommend it. The farmer pays the cost of cutting and delivery, 

 and the prices he receives should therefore be greater by the amount of 

 the labor cost, often a considerable item. Since woods work can be done 

 in the winter and at odd times when the regular farm work is not 

 pressing and teams and men otherwise idle can be used, the difference 

 in price to be realized may be considered a clear gain. By doing his 

 own cutting the farmer may also conduct it in such a way as to im- 

 prove the condition of his woodlot, a matter in which the contractor or 

 sawmill employee would have no interest. 



