60 



Canadian Forestry Journal, April 1913. 



of timber, (3) A determination of the 

 rate of growth of the timber, (4) A 

 study of the conditions of light, moisture, 

 soil and other factors influencing the 

 present and future conditions of the for- 

 est crop and (5) The location of per- 

 manent roads, dams, bridges and other 

 structures needed for the removal of the 

 timber. 



In a rough way, every logger is his own 

 topographer, and has acquired his knowl- 

 edge by cruising, but unfortunately it is 

 often very inaccurate, is easily forgotten, 

 and cannot be transferred to his successor, 

 who has to acquire his knowledge of the 

 locality all over again. With a good top- 

 ographic and timber map of the tract, all 

 this information can be kept in the head 

 office, where it is of very great value. In 

 most cases contours can be obtained with 

 sufficient accuracy by the use of an aneroid 

 barometer. A glance at the contour 

 map will show the probable location of 

 roads needed, and thus save much time in 

 the field. On the timber map will be 

 shown the location and extent of the fell- 

 ings and the progress of the work as the 

 tract is brought under management In 

 short, the maps represent in miniature the 

 lay of the land and the woods operations 

 being carried on from one year to another. 



In regions where the commercial tim- 

 bers are good floaters, horse lumbering 

 and the driving of streams in flood time 

 will be largely employed and the young 

 forester will have ample scope for his en- 

 gineering skill in the laying out of iced 

 roads, the building of dams, slides, tugs, 

 alligators, etc., for the movement of the 

 timber. 



The Building of Boads. 



When it is pointed out that about 

 seventy per cent of the cost of producing 

 lumber is spent in the woods, it will at 

 once be seen that the first duty of the for- 

 ester is to provide cheap and efficient 

 means for the removal of- his crop. This 

 crop is both bulky and heavy, and gives 

 him ample scope fqr the exercise of his 

 ingenuity in adapting means to ends. "Very 

 frequently he cannot secure the services 

 of civil or mechanical engineers and has 

 to work out his own problems on the spot. 

 His ability to do so at once makes him a 

 valuable man to his employers. 



The object of any road is to provide a 

 means of transportation from one point 

 to another with the least expenditure of 

 power and money. The main principles 

 governing the location and construction of 

 the road are: (1) To secure as easy 

 grades as possible, (2) have direct routes, 

 (3) avoid all unnecessary ascents and de- 

 scents, (4) place the centre line so the 

 cost of construction will be a minimum, 

 (5) cross obstacles like ravines, etc., as 



nearly at right angles as possible, (6) 

 cross ridges through the lowest pass to be 

 found. 



When good maps can be had of the dis- 

 trict, the task of locating the road is a 

 comparatively simple one. Usually, how- 

 ever, no map at all is to be had, in whjch 

 case the forester must make a reconnais- 

 sance survey of the whole belt of country 

 between the controlling points, to discov- 

 er the best route. Mountainous country 

 often appears much worse than it really 

 is for the building of a road, and rolling 

 country often appears better than it af- 

 terwards proves to be. The main thing 

 is to have *an eye for country' and not 

 waste time over an unnecessary degree of 

 accuracy in the preliminary work. Usu- 

 ally the general location of a large part 

 of a route is self-evident, or may be de- 

 termined after a very brief examination. 

 In most cases direction is determined with 

 sufficient accuracy by means of a small 

 magnetic compass, distance by pacing, and 

 differences in elevation by means of an 

 aneroid barometer. A good pair of field 

 glasses will save much unnecessary travel. 



The first steam logging ' railroad was 

 built in Michigan, in 1876, by Mr. W. S, 

 Gerrish, who was called a hare-brained 

 enthusiast for proposing such a scheme. 

 It proved such a success that a few years 

 later there were 720 miles of such roads in 

 the state. Now the mileage of logging 

 railroads in North America is computed 

 at over 25,000 miles. Their general use 

 has led to the designing of locomotives 

 and cars most suitable for that class of 

 work. To secure cheap construction, cuts 

 and fills are avoided as much as possible 

 and the engines must be able to climb 

 heavy grades and round sharp curves. 

 This has led to the construction of shay- 

 geared and other types. 



The diflSculty of location and the 

 amount of care demanded will depend al- 

 together upon the character of the coun- 

 try and the grades required. If in the 

 same valley, or along the bank of a river 

 or lake too large to be bridged, the loca- 

 tion is self-evident. If the river is small- 

 er, has sharp bends and variable banks, 

 and is easily bridged, both banks should 

 be carefully examined to determine the 

 best location and crossing points. The 

 proper choice of bridge sites is an import- 

 ant matter. Where possible, the bridge 

 should be placed at right angles to the 

 current, be as short as possible, have good 

 foundations, avoid bends in the stream 

 and be placed between stable banks so as 

 to secure a permanent concentration of 

 the waters in the same bed. Frequently 

 this means the subordination of the line 

 of the road to the most suitable crossing 

 point. When the controlling points lie in 



