FELLING AND LOG-i\L\KING 103 



The result of measuring 1000 logs on the skidway of a southern 

 yellow pine operation showed that only 426 logs were of the 

 proper length, while 240 were too short and 333 were from i 

 to II inches too long. The excess on the ends of several logs 

 was often sufficient to have secured an additional 2 feet of mer- 

 chantable material had the bole been carefuljy divided. 



Disregard of Quality. — Log-makers frequently do not give 

 sufficient attention to securing quality as well as quantity. 

 Where timber has large limbs the general practice is to leave the 

 greater part of the tops in the woods because lumber of low grade 

 only can be secured. from them. Log-makers frequently exercise 

 poor judgment in cutting trees into logs and often fail to appor- 

 tion the bole so that the best portion and the knotty portion are 

 kept in separate logs. It is not uncommon to find from 6 to 10 

 feet of clear bole put into a log with several Hnear feet of knotty 

 material. This pohcy is costly because the value of the log is 

 largely determined by its poorest section. The universal rule 

 should be to divide the bole so that the clear material will be 

 kept separate from the rough and defective. It may often prove 

 more profitable to waste a few feet of rough log if by so doing the 

 amount of high-grade lumber can be increased. 



Fig. 25. — Waste in a Top resulting from an Improper Selection of Log 

 Lengths. 



Waste. — One form of waste commonly observed is shown 

 in Fig. 25. Log-makers seldom go above points where one or 

 more large limbs project out on one side (see X) . If the log is 

 15 or more inches in diameter and one side is free from knots, 

 the cut should be extended 2 or 4 feet further up the tree, say to 

 "Y," if that distance gives the proper log length. The lower 

 side will yield clear lumber free from knots and cannot in any 

 way depreciate the value of the log content, while the lumber- 



