12 THE WOODSMAN S HANDBOOK. 
BOARD MEASURE. 
The unit of board measure is the board foot, which is the con- 
tents of a board 1 foot square and 1 inch thick. The number of 
board feet which can be sawed from lags of different diameters 
and lengths is shown in log rules. 
Logs are\usually measured at the small end inside the bark, 
because the removal of the slabs reduces the logs to the dimen- 
sions of the smallend. This is the custom in measuring short logs 
by all the rules which follow, except in certain cases noted in the 
descriptions of the several rules. Some of the rules, for example 
the Doyle and the Partridge rules, were intended by their origi- 
nators to be used for an average diameter, but most persons who 
use them take the diameter at the small end, except in case of 
long timber. -In measuring long logs which are to be cut into 
short logs before being sawed into boards, the diameter is usually 
not taken at the small end alone. Thus in using the Maine 
Rule, long logs are scaled as two logs. The diameter at the small 
end inside the bark is measured and is taken as the diameter of 
the uppermost log. The diameter at the small end of the lower 
log is estimated by the log scaler. Another method of measuring 
long logs, often used with the Doyle Rule, is to take the diameters 
at both ends inside the bark, average them, and use this average 
as the diameter of the log. Still another method in use is to take 
the diameter inside the bark, one-third the distance from the 
small end of the log. 
Logs are usually cut from 2 to 6 inches longer than the standard 
lengths of boards, to allow for bruising in handling. This addi- 
tional length is disregarded in scaling. 
Log rules give the number of board feet in logs which are 
straight and sound. If logs are unsound or otherwise defective, 
a certain allowance must be made by the scaler. The determina- 
tion of the amountin board feet which should be deducted for — 
unsoundness or defects in a given log requires great skill on the 
part of the scaler, and, as it is a matter of judgment in each case, 
no definite directions can be given here. 
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