25 



for the reproduction of the crops, aud these are cleared in succession, 

 but only one in each period : the coupes, or fellings in different periods 

 in these Norwegian forests not being regulated in extent by precise 

 measurement, but being determined by the convenience of the con- 

 tractor ; and only trees suitable for his purpose being felled. These are 

 generally trees, on an average, a little under two feet in diameter ; and all 

 such are felled, leaving after them but a poor and scraggy crop of grow- 

 ing trees to replace, in course of time, if they can, what has been removed. 

 In Norway there is no lack of means for transporting the felled timber 

 by water to the coast. In many places the felled trees, stripped only 

 of their larger boughs, are tumbled into a mountain stream, to be 

 by it borne to the nearest river or lake ; in others, they are shot 

 along artificially constructed slides, leading to some lake or river. 

 These slides are in structure intermediate between the chemins a 

 trainaux and the langoirs orglissoires artificiels, used in France. They 

 are about 5 feet wide. Sleepers are laid across the line at about equal 

 distances apart, and upon these are laid, lengthwise, trunks of young 

 trees about 5 or 6 inches apart, and often so arranged that those at the 

 sides are somewhat higher than those in the middle to form a groove of 

 sufficient depth to keep the shot timber in the slide. In some cases 

 these slides run directly down the declivity to the river or lake to which 

 they are destined to convey the timber. In other cases, they run 

 across the side of the hill in a slanting direction. In some places earth 

 is removed to allow of the desired angle of inclination being 

 secured. More frequently this is attained by the slide being supported 

 at places by piles of earth or beams. When necessary, they are carried 

 on supports across small valleys, or watercourses, separating the forest 

 on the one side of a mountain from the forest on the side of another ; 

 and occasionally there may be seen their straight course altered by an 

 angle more or less abrupt. At such places there is generally raised at 

 the outer angle of the slide a bank against which the trees may strike in 

 their descent and then recoil into the new direction : these by the 

 new direction thus given to their course, go on, sometimes head 

 foremost, and sometimes making first a complete somersault or revolu- 

 tion. In general also a workman, or it may be two, or even three, are 

 stationed at these points with long poles to aid at the time the move- 

 ment of any trees which might otherwise be in danger of sticking 

 fast and blocking the way. The slides in general lead to pools of con- 

 siderable depth in a lake or river. Into these the trees ofttimes 

 descend more than their entire length, starting up again vertically 

 before setting off anew on their course. 



Much debris is found all about such spots ; but it is comparatively 

 seldom that logs are seriously damaged. The quantity of splinters 



