FELLING AND LOG-MAKING 97 



Log Lengths. — Builders consider even lengths of from 10 to 24 

 feet most advantageous and these have come to be recognized in 

 lumber markets as standard. Mills handling small- and medium- 

 sized timber, which is skidded by animals, cut their logs into 

 the above lengths in the forest, while those manufacturing long 

 timbers or using power skidding machines either bring in logs 

 varying from 24 to 60 feet in length or the entire bole to a top 

 diameter of from 4 to 6 inches. These logs may be cut into 

 shorter lengths at the railroad or landing but delivery at the mill 

 of long logs or entire boles is considered more desirable since it 

 precludes a loss in crooked timber by improper division in the 

 forest. An experienced man at the mill can cut the boles into 

 log lengths more rapidly and economically with a power machine 

 than can the sawyer in the woods using a cross-cut saw, and 

 special orders for unusual lengths can be filled without loss of 

 time. 



Logs to be rafted down large streams should be cut into 

 long lengths because the raft can be built stronger and 

 cheaper. 



The transportation of long logs out of the forest is destructive 

 to young growth because their length requires considerable 

 swamping for animal transportation, and when a ground system 

 of power skidding is used a large amount of young growth is 

 broken or bruised before the log reaches the run down which it 

 passes to the machine. 



The "board" mills in the yellow pine region cut logs into 

 standard lengths, a large percentage being 12, 14 and 16 feet. 

 The "timber" mills cut longer logs to meet their special re- 

 quirements. 



Cypress operators who railroad their timber to the mill cut 

 logs into standard lengths between 10 and 20 feet. On pull- 

 boat operations where logs are floated to the mill the whole trunk 

 or 30- to 50-foot logs are skidded. 



Hardwood logs rafted down the Ohio River and other large 

 streams are cut into lengths of from 40 to 60 feet, while on small 

 streams and on railroad operations standard length logs are the 

 rule. 



