220 FELLING AND CONVERSION OF TIMBER. 



the woodcutters, the base of the tree often shooting out back- 

 wards or sideways from the stump. This danger may be 

 avoided by felling sideways, on to a contour line, if the men 

 stand above the tree at the moment of its fall. Tr.] 



In order to prevent the stem from breaking, the configura- 

 tion of the ground on which it will fall should be inspected 

 carefully, as felling across gullies, on to rocks or other stems 

 may break the tree. In the case of valuable timber, where 

 there is an object in securing as long and straight pieces as 

 possible, or where valuable curved wood is being felled, great 

 care must be taken not to throw the tree on to stones or frozen 

 ground ; therefore felling valuable trees should be stopped 

 during a hard frost. 



In such cases a soft bed of branches or faggots may be 

 placed under the trees, on to which they should be felled ; or 

 they may be felled against a neighbouring standing tree, pro- 

 vided that it is also to be felled. A tree may be felled, so 

 as to fall slowly, by forcing it over by means of wedges before 

 it is completely severed from the stump. Where a tree is 

 not too tall, it may preserve the lower part of the stem from 

 breakage to fell the tree without previously lopping any of 

 its branches. 



iii. In felling timber-trees, attention should be paid to easy 

 removal of the logs. 



Trees should not, therefore, be felled across or into ravines, 

 but, provided rules i. and ii. are observed, into such a position 

 that their removal may be effected easily. 



Long stems are most easily removed downhill, when they 

 lie along the slope of the hill with their thicker ends downwards, 

 and this position is secured by throwing them uphill. 



iv. During a strong gale, felling operations must be 

 suspended. 



This should be attended to, at any rate, wherever the direc- 

 tion in which the trees will fall is of importance, for then the 

 woodcutters are no longer able to guide the trees. 



The wind is the woodcutter's worst enemy, and it is usually 



