38 THE WOODSMAN’S HANDBOOK. 
450 per cent in 6-inch logs over the Doyle Rule, and of 26 per cent 
in 11-inch logs to 175 per cent in 6-inch logs over the Scribner Rule. 
These logs were scaled by the smallest diameter outside the bark 
at the small end. If the inside-bark diameter had been used the 
discrepancies would have been still greater. 
These facts prove that the seller of timber needs to specify in 
his contract that long logs shall be scaled as two or more short logs, 
with the proper increase in diameter allowed. On pages 39-43 are 
given the scaling regulations adopted by the Forest Service. 
If all the logs on a skidway were sound and straight the opera- 
tion of scaling would be largely mechanical and would not require 
much skill. But many logs are cut and piled which may be partly 
rotten, or crooked, orseamy. Such logs must be entirely discarded 
or reductions must be made for imperfections when the contents 
are calculated. Skill is required in deciding what logs should be 
thrown out. The obviously rotten logs are not piled on the skid- 
way at all. The contractors include many which are doubtful 
and which they think may be accepted by the purchaser. The 
final decision rests with the scalers. There are many logs having 
center rot or rot only on one side, seamy, shaky, and crooked 
logs, which contain enough good lumber to pay for the hauling, 
but can not be given a scale equivalent to straight sound logs of 
equal dimensions. When such a log is measured a deduction is 
made to compensate for the loss through the imperfection. If the | 
scaler is recording only the diameters and lengths of the logs, dis- 
count for defects in a specified log is usually made by reducing the 
measured diameter sufficiently to cover the loss. Sometimes, 
chiefly in the South, the allowance for defect is made by reducing 
the log’s length. If the contents of the logs are reduced in the 
woods the discount in board feet is made when the log is measured. 
The experienced scaler who has worked at a sawmill is able to 
estimate the loss through certain imperfections merely by looking — 
at the log. It requires skill and experience to recognize defects © 
and to know how much they affect the quality of the timber. It — 
also requires good judgment to determine how much the dimensions 
of a defective log should be reduced to scale what can actually be 
manufactured from it. The best scalers have this experience and 
judgment. 
