ha; 



-CLD_ K E C O R D 



23 



the thin, papery bark. In that case the trunks are left to decay, 

 unless they happen to be convenient to a cordwood market. 



One of the most extensive uses for the wood of madrona is for 

 charcoal burning. Blacksmiths buy it because it is cheaper than 

 coal, and some is used in shops where soldering and welding are 



done; but the most exacting demand comes from gunpowder manu- 

 facturers. They find this wood almost equal to alder and willow 

 as a source of charcoal suitable for powder. 



The accompanying illustration is from a photograph taken by the 

 editor of Hardwood Record near Seattle, Wash. 



V V^c;;<;^^3e,^■^tfAw■^:;^o^.wa^^.m^ 



Modern Cruising Valuable in Logging 



A man of long and successful experience in hardwood logging 

 stated, in a discussion of logging eflSciency with the writer, that 

 if one knew with some degree of accuracy the amount of timber 

 to come out of a given hollow or other logging unit, the choice 

 of the cheapest and best method for logging that hollow woidd 

 be comparatively simple. But, he said, that fact was practically 

 never known. Usually a practical logging man, after going over 

 the timber, makes a guess at what is there, and feels satisfied if 

 his estimate is .under. the actual cut by a very good margin. 



The truth of his statement is obvious. Almost every man of 

 experience knows from the records of past operations the cheap- 

 est way he can log a hollow, provided he knows how much is 

 coming out of it. In other words, the stand is the key to the 

 amount and character of the improvements which are economical. 

 In fact, it is and almost must be the key to the choice of the 

 most etficient method of logging a given unit. 



Most lumbermen "take a chance" on what will come out of a 

 hollow, and log accordingly, in nearly every case preferring to 

 spend too little on improvements in order to be absolutely sure 

 of "playing safe." The writer knows personally of cases where 

 a different method would have been chosen — and at a great 

 saving — if this important factor of stand had been known. 



The reason for this is undoubtedly that most lumbermen believe 

 an estimate far too expensive to justify itself. It is a fact, 

 however, that in Maine estimates are made of townships, including 

 a tree to tree caliper measurement of two and one-half to three 

 per cent of the area, and clearing and blazing of section lines 

 which divide the township into mile squares, for less than ten 

 cents an acre. In addition to this estimate, and from data 

 gathered in this work, a topographic map, showing roads, streams, 

 lakes, etc., is prepared, the whole thing costing, as stated before, not, 

 over ten cents per acre. 



Por the purposes of the mountain logger a great deal of this 

 is not necessary. The section lines are of little value and as they 

 cost a little over one-third of the total cost of the cruise, leaving 

 them out would be a great saving. Furthermore, a carefully 

 drawn topographic map, while a very desirable thing in itself, 

 is far from necessary, and further saving could be effected here. 



A very practical and cheap method for Oiaking a sufficiently 

 accurate estimate of a logging unit in the hardwood region is 

 as follows: A compass and chain traverse should be run around 

 the cutting area. This would require a compassman and two 

 assistants to drag the chain. At stated intervals lines could be 

 run across the topography and every merchantable tree within 

 an area one-half chain wide on either side of the lines could bo 

 calipered. The compassman could take notes as he goes along, 

 of streams and other topographical features. Every ten chains 

 of a line like this gives one acre calipered. It would then be 

 necessary only to run enough lines, evenly dislributed, as to 

 cover the required percentage of the area. In hardwoods prob- 

 ably a minimum of five per cent should be so calipered. The 

 spacing of the lines can be easily figured after the traverse of 

 the cutting area has been plotted. 



The remaining work would consists in computing the average 

 contents of trees of different diameters. Often this is known 

 closely enough for this purpose; if not, a little time spent in 

 following the saw crews and measuring the contents of felled 

 trees will get it. 



From this work the stand of the average acre is easily figured, 

 and the area of the whole hollow may be computed from the 

 plotted traverse. A compassman worthy of the name can then 

 figure for a hollow the amount of timber in it; he can draw a 

 sketch map showing the streams and the lay of the land, and, 

 more important than that, the traverse will show him the length, 

 width and shape of the hollow, this last point being imporrant 

 m that it will show the skidding distance, and length of poled 

 road, slide, tramload, or other improvement necessary. , Surely, 

 if he knows this, the lumberman can figure out the cheapest way 

 of logging that hollow. 



Now, this would not be necessary for the whole area covered 

 by the operation, although it certainly would be desirable; but 

 for those hollows where the method is in doubt it would be 

 invaluable. 



Let us look at the cost of such work. If in Maine from two 

 and one-half to three per cent estimates can be made, section 

 lines cleared and blazed, and a map prepared for ten cents an acre, 

 certainly in the hardwood region a five per cent estimate, with no 

 clearing of lines, and only a rough sketch map, can be made for 

 not over ten cents an acre. Assuming, now, a very light stand 

 of merchantable timber, say, two thousand feet per acre, we have 

 a cost of five cents per thousand. But against this cost we have 

 the advantage of knowing elosel.v what we can get out, and being 

 able to figure, with a good degree of certainty, on the amount and 

 character of the improvements possible. 



It is the writer's firm conviction that this expenditure of five 

 cents per thousand — and in many cases it would be less, where the 

 stand per acre was heavier — would save itself many times over 

 in the cost of logging. Even in the cases where the estimate 

 merely confirmed the lumberman's opinion of the way he should 

 log it, the additional cost would have insured him against the 

 choice of the wrong method, to find it out only when the work was 

 finished and the money spent beyond recall. In the case of logging 

 by contract it would save just as much, or possibly more, by 

 giving the lumberman a safe basis for estimating what he ought 

 to pay and a proof to the contractor that the price is fair. 



Odd Use for Wood Toothpicks 



Toothpicks are associated with restaurants rather than with funerals 

 and cemeteries, but, in fact, a very large number of tliem are con- 

 sumed in the manufacture of floral designs. Every flower and evcrv 

 leaf which forms a part of a wreath or other design is first wired to 

 a toothpick, and the Wood imbedded deep into wet sphagnum moss 

 until the natural stem reaches the moisture, and thus the flowers 

 are supplied with sufficient water to keep them fresh for several 

 days. The toothpicks are put up in cases of 100,000 each and about 

 6,000 cases are consumed annually in the floral business alone. 

 Here also butchers' skewers and round sticks, eighteen inches in 

 length, are usc'd for the heavier leaves and flowers. 



Scarcity of Wood for Pencils 



The supply of wood suitable for pencil stock is so reduced that in 

 Tennessee the j)encil factories buy logs from old cedar barns and 

 fence rails, in some eases paying as high as ten cents a rail in addi- 

 tion to putting up a new wire fence. The average stumpage value of 

 cedar of saw-log size is' $20. 



