were assessed at the same figure. Only by Care- 

 ful Analysis and Fair Comparison Can Honest 

 Values and Equitable Assessments be estab- 

 lished. 



FOREST LAND 



This section contains information of value 

 to the assessor in estimating the amount of for- 

 est products under various conditions when 

 more accurate cruises are not available. 



Forest lands are appraised by the same 

 method as is used for cut over land. The value 

 of the forest products is added to the basic 

 value of the land. The basic land will vary in 

 value from $2.50 to $10.00 per acre depending 

 on the productive quality of the soil, $2.50 per 

 acre on the poorer sandy soils to $10.00 per 

 acre on the more productive clays and the 

 better sand loams. This, of course, is assuming 

 no other utilization possibilities other than tree 

 growth. The most important step is the deter- 

 mination of merchantable forest products on 

 the land. It is recommended that timber 

 cruiser's reports be used to determine the 

 amount of merchantable forest products. If no 

 cruise reports are available, then volume tables 

 may be used to estimate the board feet of logs 

 or the cords of pulp, box bolts, etc., per acre. 

 The stumpage prices for the most common for- 

 est products are given in table 2 below. 



The stumpage price multiplied by the 

 amount of logs, pulp, etc. will give the value of 

 the forest products. Some computations are 

 made for the assessor in table 3 below. 



The essential information needed and the 

 sources are listed below: 



1. Basic Soil Value 



A. See cutover section. 



2. Amount of Merchantable Forest 



Products 



A. Timber cruise reports 



B. Volume tables 1 and 2 



3. Stumpage Value of Forest Products 



A. Table 2, see notes 



B. Computations, Table 3 



When it is necessary to use volume tables, 

 the following procedure is recommended: 



First — Determine the diameter range of the 

 trees : seedlings, saplings, pole timber, etc. The 

 diameter range should be for the majority of 

 the trees present. 



Second — Determine the volume range. The 

 trees may run heavy to the large size and the 

 high volume range used or, if the stand runs 

 heavy to the smaller size, the low volume range 



should be used. This is to select the proper 

 volume range. 



Third — Determine the stocking class of the 

 land. The tables are based on the percent of 

 growing space effectively utilized by trees with 

 10-39% rated as poor, 40-69% rated as 

 medium, and over 69% rates as good stocking. 

 The stand will fall into one of these groups. 



This will give the board feet per acre or the 

 cords of pulpwood per acre, depending on the 

 species. Interpolation can also be done. 



It is obvious that a uniform stand of pulp 

 size Aspen of good quality that might produce 

 20 cords per acre can be harvested more 

 cheaply than, and thus be worth more than, 

 if it would produce only 4 cords per acre. Like- 

 wise, any timber stand is worth more on a 

 fairly level area where trucks can be driven to 

 the product than a stand on hilly, rocky ter- 

 rain where the product has to be skidded by 

 tractor or team to a loading site. Furthermore, 

 producing Aspen pulp from a mixed timber 

 stand is usually more expensive, due chiefly 

 to the extra cost of collecting the product from 

 scattered locations. 



It will be noted most of the variables are 

 cost factors that must be deducted from the 

 "going Price" when determining the value of 

 the timber "in place." Similar factors must be 

 considered when determining the value of 

 every other forest product. The assessor in 

 districts where this type of property is found 

 will usually be familiar with these conditions. 



Addition of Forest Product Value 



Forest products of commercial size and qual- 

 ity, growing on cut over or forest land, must 

 be evaluated together with the basic land value 

 when assessing this class of property. 



Forest products include: 



1. Christmas Trees 



2. Fence Posts 



3. Poles 



4. Railroad ties 



5. Mine Props 



6. Excelsior Wood 



7. Pulp Wood 



8. Chemical Wood 



9. Cabin Logs 



10. Saw Logs 



11. Veneer Logs 



12. Fire Place and Stove Wood (usually 



by-products) 

 The "stumpage value" (value of the uncut 

 timber in the woods) varies from year to year. 

 It also varies from one area of the state to 



50 



