TIMBER PHYSICS COLLECTING MATERIAL. 391 



Forest conditions lefei, in the first place, to mixed or pure forest, open or close stand, and should be chosen as 

 near as possible to the noiinal. ehaiacter pievailmg in the region. If what, in the judgment of the collector, consti- 

 tutes normal conditions are not found, the histoiy ot the forest and the points wherein it differs from normal 

 conditions must be specially noted. 



c. — CHOICE of irf.es 



On each site five trees are 1o be iaken, one of which is to serve as "check tree." None of these trees aie to be 

 taken fiom the loadside or open field, nor from the outskirts, but all from the interioi of the forest. They are to be 

 iepiesentati\e average trees— neither the largest or best nor the smallest or worst, preferably old trees and such as 

 aie not overtopped by neighbors. 



The "check tree/' however, should be selected with special care, and should repiesent the best-developed tree 

 that ( an be found, judged by relative height and diameter development and perfect crown. 



The distance between the selected tiees is to be not less than 100 feet or thereabout, yet caie must be exercised 

 that all aie found under piecisel^ the same conditions for which the site was chosen. 



Theie aie also to be taken six young trees as prescribed under E. 



If to be had vvithin the station, select two tiees from 30 to 60 years old or oldei, which are known to have 

 giown up in the open, and two trees which are known to have grown up in the forest, but have been isolated for a 

 known time of ten to twenty j ears. 



D. — PROCEDURE AND OU1FIT. 



The station determined upon, the collector will proceed to examine it for the selection of sites. After having 

 selected the sites, he will at once communicate the selection, with description and justification, to this office, 

 negotiate with the owners of the timber (which might be done conditionally during the first examination) for the 

 purchase or donation of test tiees; and the latter arrangements completed, without waiting reply from this office, 

 he will at once proceed to collect test pieces on one of the sites in regard to the selection of which he is not in doubt. 



To properly carry out the instructions, the following assistants and outfit may be required: 



(1) Two men J with ax and saw ; a boy also may be of use. 



(2) Team, wagon, and log trucks for moving test pieces and logs to station. 



(3) Frow or sharp hacking knife for splitting disks. Heavy mallet or medium-sized "maul" to be used with 

 frow. 



(4) A handsaw. 



(5) Red chalk for marking. (A special marking hammer will be substituted.) 



(6) Tape line and 2-foot mle or calipers. 



(7) Tags (specially furnished). 



(8) Tacks (12-ounce) to fasten tags. 



(9) Wrapping papei and twine. 



(10) Franks for mailing test pieces (specially furnished). 



(11) Shipping tags for logs. 



(12) Scales, with weight power not less than 30 pounds. 



(13) Barometer for ascertaining elevations. 

 (It) Compass to ascertain exposuies. 



(15) Spade and pick to ascertain soil conditions. 



(16) Bags for shipping disks. 



E. — METHOD OF MAKING- TEST PIECES. 



(a) Mature trees. 



(1) Before felling the tree, blaze and mark the north side. 



(2) Fell tree with the saw as near the ground as practicable, avoiding the flare of the butt and making the 

 usual keif with the ax opposite to the saw, if possible, so as to avoid north and south side. If necessaiy, square 

 oft the butt end. 



(3) Before cutting off the butt log mark the north side on the second, third, and further log lengths. 



(4) Measure off and cut logs of merchantable length and diameters, beginning from the butt, noting the length 

 and diameters in the record. 



Should knots or other imperfections, externally visible, occur within 8 inches of the log mark, make the cut 

 lower down or higher up to avoid the impeifection. 



(5) Continue measuring the full length of the tree and record its length. Note also distance from the ground 

 and position on the tree (whether to the north, south, west, east) of one large sound limb. Mark its lower side and 

 saw it off close to the trunk and measure its length and recoid it, the limb to be utilized as described later. 



If the tree after felling prove unsound at the butt, it will be permissible to cut off as much or as little as 

 necessary within the first log length. If sound timbei is not found in the first log, the tree must be discarded. 

 Only sound timber must be shipped. Any logs showing imperfections may be shortened. Be careful to note change 

 in position of test pieces. 



(6) Mark butt end of each log with a large N on north side. Saw off squarely from the bottom end of each log 

 a disk 6 inches long, and beyond the log measure cut off disks every 10 feet up to 2-inch diameter. Place eack disk 



\ Only men familiar with felJmg and cutting %m^ sfeoujd be chosen, 



