80 THE WOODSMAN'S HANDBOOK. ^ 



If there are several species, the columns for breasthigh diameter 

 and number of trees may be omitted, and the top diameter arranged 

 vertically, a column for each species. The compass man keeps 

 track of the distance paced, and makes a note of roads and streams 

 that cross the strip, and of any other information required in the 

 cruise. The strips, together with the roads, streams, and other 

 features, may later be platted on a map. A separate tally sheet is 

 used for each strip, or part of strip, for which a separate estimate is 

 required. A new record is made, for instance, when a new water- 

 shed is reached, when the compass direction of the strip is changed, 

 or when a different forest type is encountered. If necessary, one I 

 man can work alone. 



The records enable the determination of the contents of the logs 

 by any desired log rule, the determination of the total number of 

 trees, the average number of logs per tree, the number of trees or 

 logs per thousand board feet, and the yield per acre. One of the 

 advantages of the method is that each tree may be scaled for what 

 it will yield, by discarding the crooked and defective logs. The 

 only reduction necessary- from the final total scale is a certain per- 

 centage for hidden imperfections not apparent on the standing 

 trees. 



In northeastern spruce forests one crew of two men can work 

 over a strip Ih miles long in a day. If the strips are laid off one- 

 fourth mile apart, this means a cruise of 300 acres per day. 



The method requires not only a knowledge of what constitutes 

 a merchantable log, but also the ability to estimate diameters 

 by eye. It requires a trained eye and can not be practiced by a 

 novice. It is open to the further objection that it is very slow. 

 Its chief advantage is that a volume table is not required, and it 

 is equally applicable to all species, forms, and heights of trees. 



SYSTEMATIC PLOT METHOD. 



The principle of the systematic plot method is the same that 

 underlies the strip methods. Compass lines are run at regular 

 intervals, but instead of measuring a continuous strip, only a part 

 of each strip is measured, in the form of plots spaced at regular 

 intervals along the course. These plots are laid off by the eye, 



