ROUGH CONVERSION. 257 



hop-poles 2i to 5 inches (6 to 12 centimeters). Hop-poles are 

 generally felled deep into the ground with the axe, whilst 

 ladder-wood and wheelwright's wood should be sawn straight at 

 the butt. 



vii. Br moral of Bark. 



All stems felled in coniferous forests during summer are usually 

 barked to prevent insect-attacks, facilitate transport and preserve 

 the white colour of the wood. The wood may be completely 

 barked, whenever this can be done, as in spring and early summer. 

 During autumn and winter the bark can only be partially 

 removed. 



Although complete barking gives the wood a better appearance, 

 yet the rapid drying which ensues frequently causes numerous 

 cracks, into which spores of fungi are conveyed by the rain, and 

 then the timber is liable to decay unless rapidly transported to 

 its destination. 



In this respect partial barking is superior. The tools used 

 for barking are shown in tigs. 125, 126, and 127, and they save 

 50 per cent, of labour when compared with the axe. Large stems 

 with rough bark, especially during winter, are usually barked 

 with the axe or adze. 



It has recently become usual also to bark the larger poles and 

 especially hop-poles. Here only partial barking is necessary. 



(b) Preparation of Firewood. 



Firewood, and especially split and round firewood, is prepared 

 from the remains of the stem and branches after conversion of the 

 timber; or whole firewood trees, as in beech forests, are freed from 

 branches, marked-otf into lengths, and then sawn into short butts. 



In cutting-up butts for firewood the curved saw is chiefly 

 used, and the work is assisted by wedges, which are inserted as 

 soon as the saw-cut is deep enough. Woodcutters must be 

 cai-eful not to cut obliquely, as they may easily do by mistake on 

 sloping ground. The cut must be at right angles to the axis of 

 the tree, if the cords of firewood are to have a good uniform 

 appearance. As a rule, the larger branches are also cut into 

 lengths with the saw, which should be used wherever possible in 

 converting wood. Only on very steep, rocky ground, where the 



VOL, V. s 



