ROUGH CONVERSION. 255 



timber, the demands of the market are very variable, depending 

 on a good vintage, on large imports of foreign timber, &c. In 

 such cases it is prudent to cut the logs as long as possible, 

 provided they are sound. 



In other districts, where timber is chiefly used for local pur- 

 poses and both short and long logs are wanted, it is better to 

 cut one or two butts for sawmills from the base of the stems 

 and retain the remainder as long as possible for building purposes. 

 A prevalent demand for long logs will occasionally modify this 

 rule and decide on the number of sawmill butts which will be 

 sawn from the stem. It is not, as a rule, financially advisable to 

 prepare butts for sawmills of less mid-diameter than 12 to 13^ 

 inches (30 to 35 centimeters) ; small butts may, however, be 

 split or sawn, into laths. 



(8) Facilities of Transport. — In converting large standards over 

 a dense growth of saplings or poles, it is often considered best, 

 out of respect to the young wood, to cut them into short 

 lengths. Exceptionally this may be justifiable, but should 

 usually be avoided, for the standard was retained expressly to 

 yield large timber. 



All shortening of stems should be done with the saw, and 

 only long logs which are to be dragged along the ground, slid 

 down-hill with ropes or floated in rafts, should have their larger 

 ends rounded with the axe. 



iv. Exposure of Defects. 



All wood, and especially pieces of valuable timber, should be 

 so exposed by cutting through all swellings or overgrown knots, 

 as to show its inner quality, and increase the confidence of the 

 purchaser. 



In the Spessart, and for the Baltic trade, oak-logs are split 

 down the centre into half balks, so as to completely expose the 

 interior of the wood. 



V. Prepare the most Valuable Assortments. 



Wherever stems may be converted in several ways, that way 

 should be adopted which is expected to yield the best price. 



