1904 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 



practice throughout the north, even be- 

 fore snow comes) , or the butt is rolled 

 upon a low sled, to which it is lashed 

 fast and hauled to the skid way as before. 

 Foreman O'Brien may be delayed in 

 his plans by failure of snow to arrive at 

 the date when his road and camps are 

 finished and the skidways piled full. 

 He may have to lay off a number of the 

 men until the desired ' 'spell of weather ' 

 arrives. 



i He will probably keep steadily on 

 with the cutting, for this must be fin- 

 ished before 3 or 4 feet of snow falls, as 

 is very likely to happen later in the 

 winter. As time is now plentiful, he 

 may have the square corners beveled 

 off from the ends of the logs so that 



the chances of catching rocks and snags 

 in a shallow stream, and thus causing a 

 jam, are very much reduced. 



Ever}- night before rolling into his 

 bunk he goes. outside and scans the sky 

 with the careful scrutiny of a man who 

 feels a grave responsibility. Every 

 night for a week the stars sparkle down 

 through the bitter air like diamonds set 

 in dark blue velvet. The trees crack 

 like pistol shots. Fourteen inches of 

 ice on the river already, and the road 

 where it crosses the quaking bog is as 

 firm as the Brooklyn bridge. 



The eighth night O'Brien comes in 

 with a grin. ''Snow tonight boys, 

 sure!' The air is noticeably milder, 

 all but the brighter stars are blotted out, 



A DOWN-HILL CHANCE. NOTICE SAND IN RUTS. 



