LUMBERMEN SHOULD PRACTICE FORESTRY 133 



Under such conditions it will rot rapidly and be 

 less of a fire menace. The dry tops of trees which 

 lodge above the ground are most dangerous 

 sources of fire as they burn easily and rapidly. 



The lumbermen can also aid the future devel- 

 opment of the forests by using care in skidding 

 and hauling the logs to the yard or mill. Care 

 should be exercised in the logging operations not 

 to tear or damage the bark of trunks of standing 

 timber. If possible, only the trees of unimpor- 

 tant timber species should be cut for making cor- 

 duroy roads in the forests. This will be a saving 

 of valuable material. 



In lumbering operations as practiced in this 

 country, the logs are usually moved to the saw- 

 mills on sleds or by means of logging railroads. 

 If streams are near by, the logs are run into the 

 water and floated to the mill. If the current is 

 not swift enough, special dams are built. Then 

 when enough logs are gathered for the drive, the 

 dam is opened and the captive waters flood away 

 rapidly and carry the logs to the mill. On larger 

 streams and rivers, the logs are often fastened 

 together in rafts. Expert log drivers who ride 

 on the tipping, rolling logs in the raging river, 

 guide the logs on these drives. 



