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ash, bass-wood, and such other woods as the country fur- 

 nishes for rails. All this should be saved, and cut down 

 last and taken care of. 



In clearing, the trees are usually cut down at that dis- 

 tance from the ground which is most convenient for the 

 man who uses the axe say about breast-high. 



Having felled the trees, the next step is to cut them 

 into logs, of a size convenient to be drawn into piles foi 

 burning. These logs should be about fifteen feet in 

 length say five paces. Go on with this till all the trees 

 you have cut down are chopped into logs.* 



Now cast your eye around, and see where the heaviest 

 logs lie, and if these be in tolerably convenient spots, 

 make them the centres of different piles. Now, with 

 your oxen and log-chains, draw the logs to these piles. 

 This is called logging. Now pile up the brush into 

 heaps, ready for burning. The log-heaps may be made 

 small, if it be a dry time ; if not, they must be large. 

 No particular instructions can be given on this po'nt ; the 

 settler must be guided by his own judgment, and by the 

 example of others. The logs and brush thus piled, take 

 occasion of the first dry time to set fire to them. They 

 wilr soon consume, if the weather be at all favorable. 

 The appearance of a new country by night, when this is 

 going on, is exceedingly picturesque and beautiful. The 

 fires light up the surrounding forest with great brilliancy ; 

 and one fancies that he is walking amid the aisles of 



* The above is the common way followed in chopping. There is another, and 

 that is in "windrows" which is, by chopping all the trees down, so at the topi nre 

 thrown together, in row or strip, the trees being so chopped down, ax to causa 

 the brush to lie together, in a row, which not being cut, (unless some high branch- 

 es, which lie not close) save* trouble in cutting the branches off and pi'ing them 

 This plan is not often followed, however. There is another way also, and that is 

 to make juir heaps, by throwing as many of the tops of the trees together as pos- 

 sible, making thus a large brush-heap. This is not a bad plan, if the season is a 

 dry one, u these heaps burn off many of the upper and thick branches or limbs of 

 the trees, which would otherwise need to be cut by the axe, and logged or hauled 

 together. 



