164 APPENDIX. 



Where the coulract does not oblige the purchaser to utilize the trees 

 into the extreme tops, all the remaining portions must be cut up and 

 piled or dragged full size into openings where large piles may be burned 

 safely. 



The above instructions will be followed, as far as they apply, in all 

 cases where timber is cut or disposed of. The fact that only a few 

 trees, dry stubs, a few loads of dry material are under consideration 

 does not in any way change the case. A few minutes' work on the ground 

 will suffice in such cases to supply the information for a complete and 

 satisfactory report, and thus enable an orderly conduct of business. 



In estimating and scaling in connection with timber sales, the follow- 

 ing points should be considered and the work should always be done in 

 a careful, workmanlike manner : 



Since all timber is sold on actual scale after cutting, a simple estimate 

 of the timber, as distinct from caliper measurement, will be pennitted 

 in most cases. In making the estimates, the entire area of the lot may 

 be covered by going over the land along lines 20 rods or less apart, or 

 the area may not be entirely covered, and mere sample tracts estimated. 

 The former is much the better method in large timber, especially where 

 the timber is irregular or scattered. The sample methods are justified 

 in dense thickets of small timber, such as cedar thickets in swamps, etc., 

 especially where much dead and down material has also to be accounted 

 for. Of sample methods only the following two should be employed, so 

 tliat a certain degree of uniformity in the work will be attained: 



(a) The "circle method," either by quarter-acre or full acre circles, 

 where the estimator places himself in the center of a circle whose radius 

 in case of full acre circle is 40 yards, and counts and tallies all trees 

 within this circle. TJiis is an easy and very satisfactory method. The 

 beginner will do well to carry a staff and place it at the center of the 

 circle, and from this pace out to make sure that he does not include 

 material outside of the circle. In using this method it is necessary to 

 take the sample area or circle, not by choice, but along certain definite 

 lines and at fixed and uniform distances apart. In covering a 40 acre 

 tract the lines may be 20 rods aiiart and the circles also 20 rods apart 

 along these lines, so that IG cii'cles are estimated for the 40 acres, and 

 thus 40% of the area covered by the estimate if full acre circles are used 

 and 10% if the circles are one-quarter of an acre each. A common mis- 

 take of the beginner is to "fudge," i. e., to go a little beyond the fixed 20 

 rods, because the spot has little or no timber. This is wrong, and makes 

 the estimate perfectly useless. The value and reliability of the estimate 

 lies in the sti-ict adherence to the system chosen. 



(b) The "strij) method," where the estimator counts and estimates 

 all trees along his path on ;) strip two or four rods wide. By using a 

 four-rod strip and closing the tally every 40 rods, each tally sheet con- 

 tains the results for one acre. Here again the strips are taken along 

 definite lines. This also is a very good and satisfactory method, and in 

 some kinds of timber deserves ])reference over the circle method. 



Whichever method is used, the map and report should indicate the 

 method employed, thus, for instance, the report should state: 



•'Circle method; full acre circle, 20 rods ajiart on lines 20 rods a])art; 

 40% of area covered." 



In any case the estimate should not be mere guess, but should be based 



