110 THE WOODSMAN’S HANDBOOK. 
THE PRESSLER INCREMENT BORER. 
For extracting a solid plug of wood from a standing tree in order 
to count the rings in the last 1 or 2 inches, with less injury to the 
tree than cutting a notch for this purpose. 
Fig. 15.—Pressler increment borer. 
The instrument consists of three essential parts: 
A hollow steel auger (A) 3 or 4 inches long, tapering and threaded 
on one end and a square 
shank at the other to fit in 
the square eye of the hol- 
| low handle (B). (C)isa 
pin-shaped wedge with Fic. 16.—Core extracted, showing rings. 
toothed end. The auger 
and wedge are carried in the hollow handle (which is fitted with 
screw caps) when not in use. 
In using the instrument it is bored into the tree toward the 
center. As the thread forces the auger in, the knife edge sur- 
rounding the opening of the auger cuts a solid cylinder of wood 
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