CHAPTER IX 

 STACKED OR CORD MEASURE 



97. Stacked Measure as a Substitute for Cubic Measure. Stacked 

 or cord measure is the cubic space occupied by stacked wood when 

 the exterior dimensions of the stacks are measured. This is expressed 

 in terms of standard units termed cords. Wood in the form of round 

 bolts or split bolts, which are termed billets (§9) is usually intended 

 either for use as bulk products such as firewood, pulpwood or acid wood, 

 or for manufactured articles whose dimensions conform to those of 

 the bolts or billets. 



For the former uses, the total cubic contents of the wood, or of wood 

 and bark, is desired. This could be obtained as with logs, by measuring 

 the dimensions of each separate bolt and totaling their contents. On 

 account of the smaller sizes, greater number, and irregularity of form, 

 especially of billets, such a method would be time consuming, inaccu- 

 rate and impossible to check as to results without complete measure- 

 ment. Yet it is quite extensively employed to obtain actual cubic 

 contents of logs and bolts for commercial purposes, when the material 

 is fairly large and of regular shape (§29). 



Where the pieces are short, small, split, or irregular in form, the 

 more convenient and simple method is to stack the wood in ranks and 

 measure the surface dimensions to get stacked cubic contents including 

 both solid wood and air space. 



98. The Standard Cord versus Short Cords and Long Cords. A 

 standard stacked cord is a pile, 4 feet high, 8 feet long, of pieces 4 

 feet long, and contains 128 stacked cubic feet. For bulk products, the 

 net cubic contents of wood, either with or without bark is desired. The 

 use of wood with bark for fuel for domestic purposes utilizes by far the 

 greater portion of all wood sold in bulk. For this purpose the stand- 

 ard cord is the basis of delivery in the rough, to wood dealers. 



But the domestic consumer seldom burns 4-foot wood, and usually 

 requires short wood of varying sizes commonly between 12 and 24 

 inches in length and making 4, 3 or 2 cuts to a 4-foot stick. Other 

 special lengths may be specified when the wood is cut direct from the 

 tree. This demand gives rise to the short cord. A short cord is a pile 

 measuring 4 by 8 feet on the side or face and one rank deep. The depth 

 and cubic contents depends on the length of the pieces. Since this 



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