392 HORTICULTURE, FORESTRY, FLORICULTURE 



tree will make, keeping in mind that it takes about 175 large-sized 

 pieces, 200 medium or mixed, or else about 225 to 250 smaller pieces 

 to make a cord. 



Where considerable tie timber stands, the trees are best kept 

 separate, noting for each how many ties it will furnish. Generally, 

 trees under 12 inches in diameter are best left standing, unless they 

 have special value for wagon or turner's stock, or else may be used 

 for pulp. Special sizes or special kinds, such as walnut, cherry, 

 yellow poplar, may often be sold in the log either to special manu- 

 facturers or else for export. Generally, this is not profitable. The 

 bulky logs cost much to handle, and the buyer will deduct all 

 wastage to the disadvantage of the timber owner. In nearly all 

 cases a sawmill of some kind is indispensable. This need not always 

 be large; sometimes a portable mill worth $1,500 to $2,000 answers 

 very well, and in some cases an arrangement may be made with a 

 conveniently located neighborhood mill, although this commonly 

 divides the interests to a troublesome degree. The logging is usually 

 best done in late fall and winter; labor is then more abundant, 

 transportation locally facilitated by snow, and the danger from 

 fungi, causing discoloration and decay, as well as from boring 

 insects, is at a minimum. Where this is not practicable, or where 

 the bark is to be utilized, as in oak, all timber (cut in spring and 

 summer) should be worked up as fast as cut, and any logs not at 

 once sawed or split should be peeled, raised off the ground, and their 

 ends painted. The particular product to toe sawed depends on many 

 circumstances. Along railways oak timbers are usually salable as 

 sawed bridge and switch timber, car sills, etc., and timber of this 

 kind deserves special attention, since it involves less labor in con- 

 version and leaves little waste. All larger timber, especially of 

 beech, birch, maple, chestnut, etc., may 'be cut into lumber, care 

 being had to saw according to the quality of the log, for it is waste- 

 ful to saw a good log in a careless manner. Where sawed axles, 

 bolsters, tongues, and other wagon stock are in good demand, these 

 may be made, and rarely, in good timber, does careful quartersaw- 

 ing fail to pay for the extra labor involved. Whether the lumber is 

 to oe 1-inch or 2-inch stuff depends on the nature of the market and 

 the wood, and a careful inquiry into what the dealer or consumer 

 wants is in all cases of the utmost importance. The butt cuts of 

 hickory, ash, elm, oak, and locust usually bring special prices as 

 wagon and carriage wood, and therefore should be worked up into 

 spokes and fellies, and otherwise shaped to suit the particular case. 

 Where the market warrants, white oak may be split into cooperage 

 stock, hickory into chair rounds and handles, birch sawed for spool 

 wood, maple for all kinds of turner's materials, walnut for gun- 

 makers, and much light wood is profitably converted into "shocks" 

 or small boards, usually cut five-eighths of an inch thick. 



Many of the smaller woods, such as dogwood, hawthorn, and 

 others, may be sold to the turner and cabinetmaker, and at all 

 times burls, curly, birds-eye, and other specially valuable forms 

 should receive attention. Smaller timber is preferably worked up 



