CLEARING THE FELLIXG-AREA. 



283 



removed, the billets on the road are lifted and brought down on 

 sledges. 



Whenever the snow is deep, the track must be beaten or 

 trodden down. Where the snow on the felling-area is over two feet 

 deep, the removal of the wood must be suspended, for it costs 

 too much time and trouble to hunt for the pieces, and many of 

 them would be overlooked. A winter with little snow is, how- 

 ever, worse than deep snow, for much time is then spent in 

 placing snow on the bare parts of the track, or in preparing an 



Fig. 148.* 



Barrow-sledge. 



ice-path. Until some snow has fallen, the work of clearing the 

 felling- area must often be suspended. 



and even then is not always practicable ; for on slopes which are 

 otherwise suitable, a sledge-track can often be made only with 

 excessive trouble. This is often the case on rocky ground, or 

 where the soil is deep. On slopes, however, which are covered 

 with dead needles, or moss and herbage, sledges may run freely, 

 especially over silver-tir and Scotch-pine branches, spruce being 

 not so suitable. If then any hollows in the track are filled 

 with billets and covered with branches and litter, or a kind of 

 tramway made with round billets over the more difficult ground, 

 sledging may be eilected with great saving of labour, and is 

 consistent with the protection of the young growth. It is, 

 however, only practicable for short distances. 



* The barrow-sledge (fig. 148), is much used in the Upper Schwaizwald, either 

 on snow, or along cart-roads. It is, however, chietly used on specially prepared 

 pat lis. 



