ROUGH CONVERSION. 229 



viii. Woodcutters, as a rule, should not fell more trees than 

 they can convert and remove in the next three or 

 four days. 



This tends to facilitate order and supervision, and also to 

 economise labour, for otherwise not only would they have 

 insufficient space in which to work, hut also encroach on the 

 space of neighbouring parties, whilst the removal of the wood 

 would be delayed till all the felling was over. Only in the case 

 of thinnings or clearances should all the trees first be felled 

 and then converted into marketable sizes. [Also in selection- 

 fellings and where the trees to be felled are far apart, as in 

 Deodar forest in India, when all the trees may be felled and 

 afterwards converted. Tr.] 



ix. Whenever there is fear of damage by insects cr fire, the 

 woodcutter is bound to clear away all wastage of broken 

 branches and twigs from the felling-area. 



Wherever the brushwood cannot be otherwise utilised, as 

 in remote mountain-forests, it should be collected in heaps, 

 leaving room between these for the removal of the timber. 

 After the felling is over, the brushwood is of tun spread over 

 the area to protect the young growth from frost, heat, and 

 cattle, or it is burned. 



x. Wherever breakage has occurred, owing to wind or snow, 

 the work of felling should commence on the side of the 

 prevailing wind and proceed in its direction. 



Clearing extensive areas covered by windfalls is often a most 

 dangerous occupation for the woodcutter. Trees crossing one 

 another and wedged together can be separated only with the 

 greatest difficulty, whilst when a stem has been cut from its 

 roots and the attached ball of earth, the latter may suddenly 

 turn over, and accidents can be avoided only by great care and 

 attention on the part of the woodcutter. 



SECTION V. ROUGH CONVERSION OF WOOD. 



By rough conversion of wood is meant the woodcutter's 

 work of dividing felled trees into pieces of dimensions suitable 



