EXPLOITATION OF CROSSTIES IN NORTHERN NEW 



MEXICO* 



By Ci<arh;nce; F. Korstian. 



The following data on the various operations in the exploita- 

 tion of crossties are based on the methods employed by a com- 

 pany which has been operating for the past six years in northern 

 New Mexico. The area which is now being exploited lies on the 

 west slope of the Sangre de Cristo Range, at elevations of 8,000 

 to 11,000 feet above sea level. The lower slopes of these moun- 

 tains merge into rolling hills and gently sloping mesas. The 

 upper portion of this area is quite rugged, consisting of deep 

 canyons which have steep slopes. Most of the timber is found 

 on the mesas, slopes and ridges. The soil is usually of sufficient 

 depth to cover the underlying rock, so that it does not interfere 

 with logging to any great extent. 



Hewn Ties — Woods to River. 



The following species suitable for hewn ties are found in this 

 locality: Western Yellow pine (Pinus ponderosa), Douglas fir 

 (Pseudotsuga taxifolia), White fir (Abies concolor) , Engelmann 

 spruce (Picea engelmanni) , Alpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa) , and 

 Limber pine (Pinus flexilis). Western yellow pine, Douglas fir 

 and White fir are the most important species on the area now 

 being cut. 



The following defects were found common to Western Yel- 

 low pine: stump and heart rot, cat- faces, mistletoe and injury 

 caused by the pine bark-beetle. The cat-faces were caused by 

 fires, occurring from 25 to as much as 100 years ago, and by the 

 removal of the inner bark for food by Indians, a custom which 

 has been discontinued but which seems to have been prevalent 25 

 to 50 years ago. Trees having stump rot and cat-faces require 

 long-butting, which not only increases the waste but results in 

 a lower grade of ties. Mistletoe and the bark-beetle cause the 



*The writer is indebted to Assistant Forest Ranger Wayne Russel for 

 assistance in collecting the data contained in this article. 



