Technics of Forestry. 623 



firmness being no doubt given to the head-fixing by the use of 

 adhesive resin or lac, the same as is used by savage tribes at the 

 present time. 



In this matter it is noticeable how technics works h'oundto their 

 starting-points. The most improved American mattocks and pick- 

 axes, for some purposes, are made for the head to slide into the iron 

 socket of the handle. Our cousins patent this old device as a new 

 invention, and handicap their toil by the extortion of royalties, and 

 fees by useless patent-agents, which their progenitor axemen would 

 doubtless, in their barbarous ignorance, have thought anything but 

 right. 



The use of the saw for felling timber is yet hardly known in some 

 of the northern and western counties of Great Britain and Ireland, 

 though obviously so expeditious and economical. It is therefore for 

 the foresters who may think the axe is the best to fell big timber, or 

 for such as desire to use . the saw instead, that I briefly describe its 

 use. 



The saw used is generally an old pit-saw, five or six feet long, with 

 gullet-neck teeth, and with plenty of " set " to them, to let the saw- 

 blade clear the cut easily : two welded together are used for large 

 trees. An upright handle, at right angles to the blade, is bolted with 

 two bolts on to the large end of the saw — this is for the draw-back 

 stroke, and one man only at this handle is sufficient for ordinary 

 timber. At the small end of the saw is a hole, with an iron ring 

 about 2| inches diameter ; to which a piece of cord is tied. The method 

 of procedure is the same as for axe-felling, so far as planning the 

 direction of the fall, clearing away the ground with spade and mattock; 

 the claws and bole of the tree are cut round level with the circumjacent 

 ground, so as to give free action to the saw and workers' hands. 



Tlie saw-cut is made quite close to the ground, as every inch of timber 

 left on the ground is waste to the owner, and injurious to the growth 

 of shoots for such trees as are meant for stub growth afterwards, as 

 will be explained hereafter. The cut is kept perfectly horizontal 

 throughout. One man at the handle, kneeling to his work, draws 

 back the saw ; the others at the rope, either kneeling or sitting, do 

 the cutting. When about one quarter cut through, the iron wedges 

 are lightly driven in ; this, woodwards used to the work know, is 

 only precautionary to prevent the closure of the cut by the weight of 

 timber, or in case of its being a hollow shell to prevent the saw being 

 suddenly nipped in the cut. 



The saw is occasionally greased or oiled. When half cut through 

 the number of wedges are increased and driven well into the cut ; 

 when nearly through, a hardwood wedge is used sometimes, which will 

 raise the timber so as to direct its fall to clear other timber ; one 



