422 LOGGING 



required of the sawyers and the depth of snow. The actual cost 

 of sawing Engelmann spruce is a little lower than for lodgepole 

 pine because it cuts more readily; but no difference is usually 

 made in the contract price. On one sale where the sawyers cut 

 off the limbs, lopped the tops, and scattered the brush the con- 

 tract was $1.25 per thousand for timber running about fifteen and 

 one-half logs. Efficient crews of two men cut about 5000 feet 

 daily, while others cut as low as 4000 feet. 



On another sale where the fallers worked singly at felling and 

 bucking, the contract price was $1.75 per thousand including 

 the swamping work. Each man averaged from 2000 to 2500 

 feet daily. Another logger in the same region paid $2 per 

 thousand for the same work. 



Swamping is usually done by a member of the skidding crew, 

 one man being assigned to each team. Since the Forest Service 

 requires that the brush shall be scattered or piled the swamping 

 expense is increased. The cost of brush disposal on small opera- 

 tions depends largely on the species, the depth of snow, the 

 amount of dead material and young growth, the steepness of the 

 slopes and the character of the bottom. Timber with many 

 limbs such as Engelmann spruce and lodgepole pine necessitate 

 more cutting and handling than most other species, hence brush 

 disposal is more expensive. Snow from 18 to 24 inches deep 

 makes brush disposal disagreeable, and seriously hampers the 

 work. Where dead material is found among young growth 

 the piles must be made where reproduction will not be injured 

 during brush burning and where down timber will not be ignited. 

 Men are hampered in getting around on steep slopes and rough 

 ground and hence brush disposal is more costly. As a rule, 

 brush piling and scattering on small operations, if properly done, 

 each cost from 30 to 50 cents per thousand feet. Sawyers 

 sometimes do the swamping and piling during the summer and 

 fall for an advance of from 25 to 30 cents per thousand. 



Skidding. — The movement of the logs from the stump to the 

 mill is performed either in one or two operations. On good 

 bottom and short hauls the logs are either skidded directly to the 

 mill or else hauled on sleds or carts over inexpensive roads. 



