FLOATING. 379 



by making a network of logs which is filled in with stones. 

 The blasting necessary in such a place is, however, so difficult 

 to carry-out, that frequently the wood is landed and passed 

 down a water-slide and placed again in the stream further on. 



Fig. 2.")1. Fixing the bod of a stream 



Careful paving of the bed of a stream is not unfrequent 

 at openings from tanks and to a certain distance inside the 

 latter. 



iii. Rectifying I he Floul'inij Chaniu'1. 



Usually the channel of a mountain-stream winds consider- 

 ably as soon as it approaches the plain, and its current is thus 

 reduced considerably. The wood, which is being floated, has 

 therefore to travel far in order to pass over a comparatively 

 short distance, and may become water-logged. Owing to the 

 slight fall, inundations occur with every high water, the banks 

 of the stream are injured and much wood stranded far and 

 wide. 



Straightening the channel of the stream is then the best 

 mode of obviating these dangers. The stream is straightened 

 by making short artificial cuts between its bends and windings. 

 Such a cut is commenced generally at several places between 

 the points on the stream that are to be joined, the banks 

 then serve as dams until the channel is completed. In such 



