36 THE WOODSMAN’S HANDBOOK. 
or, where slides are used, at the side of the slide before they are ‘ 
started. 
Naturally, the accuracy of scalers varies tremendously. Some 
suess at the dimensions of many of the logs without measuring 
them, and even estimate the total run of a pile without bothering 
to measure any of the logs in it. 
In Maine and also in some parts of New Hampshire, spruce is 
cut in long logs; that is, the entire merchantable part of the tree 
is taken out in one log. The scaling is sometimes done as the 
logs are hauled to the skidways or yards, and sometimes at the 
landing if they are to be driven. If the Maine Log Rule is used, 
the scaler’s outfit consists of the ordinary Maine scale stick, a — 
measuring pole or tape, a marking hammer, chalk, and a note- © 
book. The small end and the length of the log are measured, and 
the results in board feet are read directly from the stick and 
recorded on special tally blanks or in a notebook. 
‘The Maine Rule gives figures for lengths only up to 30 feet, sO 
that if a log is longer than that, it must be scaled as two logs. In 
the latter case only the diameter at the small end is ordinarily 
measured, while the diameter at the middle is merely estimated. 
Thus, if a log is 36 feet long, the small diameter 7 inches, and the 
diameter at the center estimated at 9 inches, the contents of two 
18-foot logs, respectively 9 and 7 inches in diameter, are read from — 
the stick as the contents of the whole log. The scaler guesses at — 
the middle diameter of the log after measuring the top. The 
increase in size from top to center (called the ‘“‘rise”) may be — 
estimated very accurately by experienced scalers. Sometimes a — 
scale stick is used which gives the contents of whole logs over 28 © 
feet long, constructed on the principle that logs from 28 to 32 feet — 
long have a rise from tip to center of 1 inch, those from 32 to 36 _ 
feet long a rise of 2 inches, those from 36 to 40 feet long a rise of 3 © 
inches. The rise of logs over 40 feet long is left to the scaler’s — 
judgment. 
Deductions for crooks and other defects are made according to | 
the judgment ofthe scaler. There are no rules, and the discounting — 
is entirely a matter of experience. In common practice it is the 
prevailing custom to reduce the total scale of a lot of logs by a_ 
certain percentage determined upon as a factor of safety, particu- — 
