Harvesting the Small Forest 



equipment used in the first step of log- 

 ging felling the trees. Some sugges- 

 tions about the operation follow. 



FELLING TREES is hazardous and dif- 

 ficult. More men lose their lives while 

 felling trees than on any other woods 

 job, because tree fallers have a tend- 

 ency to take chances instead of pre- 

 cautions. A beginner would profit by 

 working with an experienced faller. 



The tools best adapted to a particu- 

 lar felling job depend on the species, 

 size, and character of the timber. A 

 two-man crew works to good advan- 

 tage for timber of average size. 



In felling, a common logging waste 

 occurs by leaving high stumps, for usu- 

 ally the best grade of lumber is cut from 

 the stump portion of the tree. Low 

 stumps save wood and mean less ob- 

 structions in the skidding operations 

 to follow. For trees up to 20 inches in 

 diameter, stump heights should be kept 

 to 8 inches or less, and 12 inches for 

 larger trees. 



To determine the direction of fall 

 for a tree, one must consider the lean 

 of the tree; wind movement; slope of 

 the ground, and subsequent skidding; 

 openings on the ground ; possible dam- 

 age to other trees, including future 

 crops ; soundness of the tree at the cut ; 

 and the ground cover (rocks and logs) . 

 Felling should be done with a thought 

 to skidding. The object is to fell the 

 tree without breaking it or damaging 

 other trees and to drop it in a spot 

 from where it can be easily skidded. 



Brush and limbs that interfere with 

 use of the tools should be removed 

 first. A quick get-away route should 

 be determined before the tree starts 

 to fall. Trees dropped uphill on steep 

 slopes are especially dangerous, for they 

 are apt to slide. 



IN FELLING, two cuts are made on 

 opposite sides of the tree, the undercut 

 and the main saw cut. The undercut 

 is made with a saw on the side the 

 tree will fall, and into about one-third 

 the diameter. A wedge-shaped section 

 is then chopped out to form the under- 



802062 49 17 



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cut. Properly done, the undercut 

 guides the direction of fall. The main 

 saw cut is then made on the opposite 

 side of the tree, slightly above the base 

 of the undercut. When the saw begins 

 to bind, it is time to use a wedge. Be- 

 fore the final cut is completed, sound 

 plenty of warning to all in the vicinity 

 by yelling "t-i-m-b-e-r." Sometimes a 

 15- to 20-foot pry pole (never an ax) 

 against the tree is an aid in felling it. 

 As the tree starts to the ground, with- 

 draw the saw and quickly move to a 

 safe distance; stand facing the falling 

 tree and watch the top, preferably 

 from behind a large tree. Do not try to 

 carry tools, but be on the lookout for 

 widow makers. Trees with unbalanced 

 crowns, with excessive lean and defec- 

 tive trunks, and so on, often give diffi- 

 culty and occasionally get hung up in 

 neighboring trees. Then one must use 

 his ingenuity to free them and, in doing 

 so, the utmost in care and alertness is 

 demanded. 



LIMBING AND BUCKING is done when 

 the tree is down. To facilitate handling 

 and skidding, the limbs should be cut 

 flush with the stem. 



Limbing is done mostly with an ax; 

 that, too, can be a dangerous job if the 

 ax is used improperly. As a precaution 

 against injury when swinging an ax, 

 overhead branches should be removed. 

 The chopper should work with his feet 

 on the ground (not standing on a log 

 or limb) and cut the branches on the 

 opposite side, thus swinging the ax 

 away from the body. 



Bucking that is, cutting up the 

 tree is an exacting job. In bucking, the 

 logger largely determines the grade of 

 each product by separating the high- 

 value sections from those of low value. 

 Proper bucking permits cutting out 

 defects, eliminating crooked portions, 

 and the like. The entire merchantable 

 tree length should be considered and 

 measured carefully, and allowances 

 made for any necessary trimming. 



Bucking trees into sawlogs and ve- 

 neer logs is more difficult and more 

 involved than making pulpwood or 



