200 FOREST commissioner's REPORT. 



method of lumbering. Suppose, for instance, you have a 

 stand of 10,000 feet and cut 5,000 at the first cutting. Then 

 in ten to twenty years come in f(jr another cut and so on. 

 We undei'stand the advantage in the added growth — but how 

 much greater will the expense be? 



Will it not be better to employ smaller crews than now, 

 and what a])out the lasting powers of camp buildings? Would 

 it be at all i)racticable to adopt the German system of settled, 

 "all the year round" workmen on a township? That would 

 enable you to train men to the improved method l)etter. I 

 have thought of this organization when cutting lightly in this 

 way on a considerable district ; you could cut in summer and 

 fall, using small crews and having lightly built camps where 

 convenient over the district. Hauling to be done by the same 

 crews in winter and the main camp to be at the landing. 

 Some such arrangement might prove to be necessary if, 

 instead of stripping land, you are cutting it lightly for 

 growth. 



There is, too, another important question, that of roads. 

 The Germans have fine permanent road systems, and when we 

 change the purpose of our cutting, we shall have to adopt 

 something of the same kind. That is, if we are going over 

 land every twenty years or oftener we will want to plan our 

 main road lines from the beginning, and build good roads on 

 them. Isn't this necessary and practicable? Another reason 

 has also appealed to me for this change. As we change our 

 system of cutting we shall doubtless have damage from wind, 

 a considerable amount, which in the coming values of lumber 

 we ought to get at. A good and permanent road would allow 

 this to l)e brought out on the light snows without much 

 special swamping or road-making, 



I make these suggestions to you hoping that they will elicit 

 valuable ideas in return. I should be glad of a statement 

 from you on the matter. 



It is possible you do not quite see all that is involved in 

 successfully handling land for continued gro\vth. You say 

 cut a part only of the stand at any time, leaving the smaller 

 trees to grow\ That takes for granted a steady supply of 

 young trees — they should be there of all ages from the smallest 

 up, and in sufficient numbers. If spruce does not so come 

 on, the land is gradually losing its stock — being turned over 

 to other kinds of growth. Now cutting ought to have that 

 particularly in view, and prepare the conditions for the com- 



