RAISING OR KEEPING UP THE FOREST 61 



is unprofitable to remove the tops, and thus much dam- 

 age is done to the remaining trees. Furthermore, the 

 dead and fallen timber and all useless and crippled trees 

 are always left in the woods and hinder the good trees, 

 serving as breeding places for fungi and insects, and 

 increasing the danger of fire. 



Why do these lumbermen and holders of large forests 

 treat their woods with less care than our farmer forester ? 

 Let us examine into this a little more closely. When the 

 farmer wants to cut some wood he can step out any day 

 with his men, utilizing good weather and spare time, if it 

 be but half a day; he can cut as carefully as he wishes, 

 since his crew is small, usually interested, instructed, and 

 satisfied with whatever wages the work may bring. 



When the lumberman goes out to log in our northern 

 states, for instance, he must start in summer, must build 

 camps, cook house, men's quarters, stables, storehouse, 

 and smithy ; a crew of fifty or more men must be hired, 

 and supplies hauled for all his outfit. He must work 

 systematically, so that everybody shall be kept busy, 

 and in good weather or bad he must pay his men defi- 

 nite wages. 



The farmer can draw home his logs, firewood, and 

 fencing or other material whenever the weather and 

 roads are good. His firewood he may pile near the 

 house to season ; his logs and his old seasoned wood he 

 takes to mill or to town whenever hauling is good. His 



