
120 THE WOODSMAN’S HANDBOOK. 
as a watershed or township, reaching their conclusions merely by 
tramping through the forest one or more times. This method can 
be used only where an accurate estimate is unnecessary. 
THE STRIP METHOD (IN USE BY THE DEPARTMENT 
OF AGRICULTURE). 
The above-described methods of estimating standing timber are 
frequently used by the Bureau of Forestry, but the most satisfac- 
tory results, from the standpoint of economy and accuracy, are 
obtained by the strip method, which was devised in its present 
form by Mr. Gifford Pinchot, the Forester of the Department of 
Agriculture. This method is as follows: Sample acres are laid off 
in the form of strips, 10 surveyor’s chains long and 1 chain wide, 
and the diameters of all trees to be included in the estimate are 
measured at breastheight with calipers. At least three men are 
required to do effective work under this method. One man car- 
ries a notebook, or tally sheet, and notes the species and their 
diameters as they are called out by the men who take the meas- 
urements. The tallyman carries the forward end of the chain, 
the other end of which is carried by one of the men taking the 
measurements. The chain is first stretched on the ground and 
the trees are calipered within an estimated distance of 33 feet 
(one-half chain) on each side of the chain. When all trees adja- 
cent to the chain have been calipered the whole crew moves on 
the length of another chain in the direction chosen {by the tally- 
man). The chain is again stretched on the ground and the trees 
are calipered on each side of it as before. This same operation is 
repeated until the trees have been measured on a strip 10 chains 
long. Notes are then made of the general character of the forest 
and the land, according to the requirements of the investigation. 
If heights are desired they may be taken by a separate crew, or 
as the calipering crew encounter from time to time trees whose 
heights are desired, they may stop long enough to take such 
measurements. 
In an average virgin forest a crew of three men will caliper the 
trees on from 20 to 40 acres in one day if only trees of merehanta- 
ble size are included, or from 15 to 25 acres if the small trees also 

