175 



CHAPTER in. 



FELLING AND CONVERSION OF TIxMBER. 



The third chapter of this book deals with the methods of 

 felling trees, and converting them into logs and scantling which 

 are then handed over to the consumer. 



When one considers the long period which elapses from the 

 seedling stage of trees till their maturity, and the many dangers 

 to which they are subject, and compares this with the few 

 weeks required to convert them into marketable lots, it would 

 appear that the conversion of timber is a very simple under- 

 taking, within the comprehension of an ordinary woodcutter. In 

 many cases this is so, and where pure woods producing fii-ewood 

 in plains or low hilly districts are managed according to the 

 olear-cutting system with artificial reproduction, conversion is 

 nothing more than a clean sweep of the old wood, and cutting 

 the trees into convenient sizes for export. But wherever natural 

 regeneration is employed, and the woods are uneven-aged and 

 of mixed species ; where the best qualities of timber are re- 

 quired, and each tree is to be utilized so as to aftbrd the most 

 valuable material it is capable of yielding, so that the forest 

 may give the highest possible revenue and the cost of conver- 

 sion be reduced as low as possible ; where the locality presents 

 all sorts of difficulties, and successful working can only be 

 assured by emploj'ing clever woodmen : — in all such cases, 

 the mode of conversion adopted is of such importance, that 

 the revenue of the forests, their regeneration, and tending, 

 depend chiefly on the way it is carried-out. 



The foremost rule in conversion of timber is also common to 

 all industrial undertakings, and is as follows : — Consider care- 

 fully the uses which may be made of the raw material, and then 

 act as far as possible without Avasting it, and in accordance with 

 the current demands of the market. 



