FELLING RULES. 225 



will if possible avoid the practice. In certain regions, as in 

 France, the Black Forest and many Alpine forests, ex- 

 perienced climbers who mount the trees with climbing-irons 

 (Fig. 148), may be found ready to do the work, on account of 

 the high rate of remuneration. Wherever a coniferous tree 

 standing over a group of young conifers is to be felled, first 

 its stem should be cleared completely of branches, and the 

 narrow alley it makes in the young wood will soon become 

 closed. This is especially desirable in coniferous forests, for 

 injured advance-growth is very liable to insect attacks. 



Lopping the heavy boughs of broadleaved trees standing 

 in the midst of young growth may injure the latter, whilst 

 the entire crown might fall beyond it, and in any case not 

 injure the plants so much as do the separate boughs. 



[The branches and top of very tall oaks and beeches are, 

 however, lopped in France, in order to prevent their long 

 valuable stems, which are much lighter without their lofty 

 crowns (Fig. 147), from cracking in their fall. Tr.] 



Valuable little stems in pole-woods may often be bent back, 

 or tied back by withes to allow for the passage of the falling 

 stem. It is, however, an error to be too anxious to prevent 

 (bmiMgt! to young growth in a felling, for everyday experience 

 shows that what appears to be serious devastation is no 

 longer noticeable after a few years. Even where a valuable 

 standard tree standing over large poles has become mature, 

 no hesitation should be shown in felling it. 



ii. Each stem should be thrown in such a direction that it 

 does itself the least amount of harm. 



As regards the direction for felling on slopes, the danger of 

 breakage is much lessened by throwing the tree uphill, as then 

 its summit describes the smallest arc and attains the least 

 velocity on reaching the ground. Therefore, in felling valuable 

 tall timber trees, it is better to fell uphill. On very steep 

 slopes it may be advantageous in the case of firewood trees to 

 throw them with the crown downhill, so as to prevent the tree 

 from sliding any further. 



[in the Himalayas, however, the plan of felling uphill was 

 abandoned in steep places owing to the danger this caused to 



F.U. Q 



