Editor s Box. 725 



iiud with the axe take out a horizoutal mouth (or lay) close to the ground 

 OQ that side of the tree to which it is wanted to fall. The said mouth 

 must be cut two or three inches deep into the tree (according to its size), 

 and make a nick on each side to prevent the tree from splitting. Then 

 two men on their knees with the cross-cut saw commence on the opposite 

 side to cut parallel with the mouth, keeping about an inch above the 

 roots so as to save the men's hands from injury. A lad or man with a 

 rope to assist in drawing the saw at the cutting end Avill be found an 

 advantage if the tree is large. When the saw is a little over the back 

 into the tree, an iron wedge should be introduced, and driven in occasionally 

 with a mallet to allow the saw room to work freely. If the tree leans to 

 one side the wedge should be driven in nearer to that side, and also the 

 saw cut should be most forward on the same side, leaving the wood stronger 

 on the opposite side to counteract the incline of the tree. Trees can be 

 felled with great safety and precision by this method. I have often seen 

 a stake set up and driven into the ground by the tree being cut so as to 

 fall right on the top of it. There is no w^aste of either time or timber by 

 this method, the butt requiring but little or no dressing, and as for the 

 defects of the tree, which E. J. speaks of as being easier seen, the proper- 

 ties of a good tree will also be more visible. 



While on this subject I beg to draw attention to the system of felling 

 hedgerow trees in England with the axe. I invariably find the men 

 first cut four or six feet of the hedge away on both sides of the tree, to 

 allow the operator room to work his axe. In Scotland, where they are 

 cut by the saw, this destruction of the fence is not necessary, and twelve 

 months after the ^tree is removed one cannot tell there had been a tree 

 growing on the spot. J- C. 



TREE-FELLING SAWS. 



Sir, — In your last issue (page 623) Mr. King states that the saw used 

 for felling timber " is generally an old pit saw with gullet-neck, teeth, &c." 

 I must say, with all deference to Mr. King and his ideas on the subject, 

 that practical woodcutters would never think of using such a tool as 

 described, so long as a saw could be got that would perform the work in 

 less time and with greater ease to themselves. 



The common cross-cut saws are those principally used for felling, and 

 they have a wooden handle at each end, projecting at right angles to the 

 back edg'e of the plate. They have various styles of teeth, but the " peg- 

 tooth'd" which cuts one way, and the " lance-tooth'd " which cuts both 

 ways, are those now mostly used. I prefer the first mentioned for felling, 

 and the latter for cross-cutting. When they are properly " trimmed," 

 and in the hands of expert workmen, it will be only in exceptional cases 

 that wedges will be required, and it will not be found necessary to use 

 oil except when cutting resinous timber ; then, if the resin sticks to the 

 saw, -a little paraffine oil rubbed on to it will be found the most effective 

 method for keeping it clean and making it work freely. 



Wyreside Cottage, Lancaster. Andrew SLiTEn, Forester. 



VOL. I. 3 E 



