PRACTICE OF TIMBER ESTIMATING 
199 
his judgment on the.contents of the trees. In this con¬ 
nection his volume table is of assistance since study of 
the height and taper of the down timber shows to what 
portion of his tables its form relates it. Two and three 
inches per 32 foot log are light tapers, not infrequent in 
hemlock and young fir, but four and five are usual in 
mature fir timber. This examination also tells something 
as to log quality and the amount of defect. Along with 
it the cruiser makes sure by numerous tests that his eye 
is true on basal diameter. With these points settled his 
preliminary work is done and, with an eye out for factors 
that influence breakage and particularly for “conks” 
and other signs of unsoundness, he will proceed confi¬ 
dently. The figures he sets down on his tablet represent 
his judgment of the merchantable contents of trees as he 
passes them, species, individual form, defect, and breakage 
all being allowed for. The conscientious man, however, 
applies frequent check by further examination of wind¬ 
falls and occasional measurement of strip width and of 
basal diameters. 
SAMPLE OF CRUISER’S FIELD NOTES 
(Usually made on celluloid sheets) 
Fir 
Dead 
& 
Down 
Cedar 
D&D 
Hem. 
Spruce 
Poles 
Fir 
Hem. 
Cedar 
2-6 M 
2 
1-.7 
.8 
1-1.5 
1-5 M 
1 
1 
111 
1-2.5 
1.5 
1-.4 
2-2.5 
6-30 
1-3. 
1-.3 
Average 45' long 
2-7.5 
1-1. 
9" diam. at middle 
d. Checks from outside are a feature of the work as 
carried out on a large scale commercially. The different 
cruisers in a large party may be set to check one another 
as a corrective and for uniformity; a head cruiser period¬ 
ically checks each man to catch up any slackness, correct 
any wrong tendencies, and give advice or directions. 
Two miles of line per day are the standard product 
for this method of cruising, giving eight working days to 
