UTILISATION OF ROOTS AND STUMPS. 217 



such cases there is very little advantage in using the axe 

 alone. 



Felling trees by means of axe and saw combined is, there- 

 fore, under ordinary circumstances the best method ; it 

 should be introduced everywhere, wherever custom still clings 

 to the use of the axe only. It is impracticable only on steep 

 rocky ground, and unsuitable in the case of very large valu- 

 able timber trees which should be cut out by the roots, also 

 in thinnings in densely grown poles, where there is no room 

 for sawing. 



The disadvantages of the use of the saw and accompanying 

 wedges must not, however, IK; overlooked. This frequently 

 increases heartshake, a circumstance which deserves full con- 

 sideration in the case <i' valuable timber trees: besides this 

 defect, very tall thin stems, when half cut through, may split 

 in two if the wedges are carelessly used ; such a split often 

 proceeds high up the stem. This disadvantage in the use of 

 the saw depends, however, less on the method than on the 

 carelessness of the workmen. 



(b) Utilisation of Roots and Stumps. 



This can be effected either by extracting the stumps of 

 trees, or uprooting the trees. 



i. lu'inoral of 



Stumps are utilised by means of grubbing-axes, saws, 

 wedges, crowbars, etc., or with the help of machines. The 

 principal part of the work is that of grubbing-out the stump ; 

 this takes 70 to 90 per cent, of the labour involved in the 

 whole operation. The work is commenced by digging all 

 round the stump, and exposing all the side- roots as far as they 

 are worth extracting. All these roots are then severed close 

 to the stump and removed, the longer ones being severed at 

 the thinner end as well. The workmen then continue to dig 

 round the side roots, or the taproot, until their upper 

 parts are exposed and can be severed, or extracted with the 

 stump. Another way, after the roots have been exposed by 

 digging, is to split the stump into pieces, and extract these 



