can be marked and measured some time in advance of making the sale 

 and thus a 100-percent cruise of the trees to be cut is available. 

 Conventional cruises are frequently criticized because the cruiser's 

 estimates and the subsequent marker's measurements do not agree on 

 the volume to be cut. The sale volume often misses the cruise con- 

 siderably, especially/ when a certain percentage of cut is attempted. 

 Finally, tree measurement eliminates the many problems, both to the 

 forest officer and the operator^ associated with log scaling. 



Tree measurement also has disadvantages » Operators as well as 

 forest officers frequently question the accuracy of the scale. 

 Inaccurate volume tables often cause substantial errors in sales 

 having no provision for adjustments by a check scale, 4/ The use 

 of volume tables vd.ll be discussed in detail later. Errors in 

 volume determinations may arise when inexperienced personnel 

 measure the heights and estimate defect. 



The necessity of a check scale is a frequent and just complaint 

 against tree measurement, yet proper check scaling is usually an 

 essential part of the process, and the accuracy of tree-measured 

 volumes often are poor because of insufficient or no check scaling. 

 Pressure of other duties often makes it difficult for a forest 

 officer to visit a sale area as regularly as he should to obtain an 

 adequate check scale. 



Unmarked trees cut in road clearing or by careless saw gangs, or 

 because of logging damage, are not paid for unless they are detected 

 and measured during sale inspections. Close sale supervision and 

 careful location of roads prior to cutting are essential to prevent 

 losses due to cutting of unmarked trees, 



A final disadvantage of tree measurem.ent is that current checks on 

 amount cut for the purpose of collecting stum.page payments in advance 

 are difficult to obtain. Loggers seldom cut the trees in the sane 

 order in v;hich they were marked; therefore, the volume cut does not 

 com.pare vdth any particular place in the scale book. Frequent inspec- 

 tions and a good knowledge of the sale area are essential to prevent 

 cutting in excess of the payments « Some forest officers make a 

 practice of m.arking only the volume of timber that has been paid for. 

 Marking only v/hat has been paid for is satisfactory on small sales 

 that are moving slov\rly, Hovjever, on larger sales vjhich require 

 marking considerably in advance of logging j payment marking is not 

 applicable. One forest officer required the logger to keep a record 



4^ Ko No Boe (3^) has outlined a method for adjusting regional 

 volume tables for local use^ 



