FORESTS OF JAPAN 



707 



laid out on an even downhill grade so 

 as to allow the cars to run entirely by 

 gravity. The cars are small, but are 

 able to carry surprisingly large loads. 

 They are easily pushed by one coolie on 

 account of the fine grading. The rail- 



hair, and are the very antithesis of the 

 small Japanese inhabitants. 



These people are the lineal descen- 

 dents of the inhabitants of the wild 

 forest regions, where they depended 

 entirely on the capture of game for a 

 livelihood. It is said of them 

 that one of their favorite pas- 

 times is to corner a bear and 

 kill him by brute strength. 

 The wages of a chopper vary 

 from 25 to 50 cents per day, 

 according to his ability, and a 

 man with one horse gets from 

 60 to 75 cents per day. 



A technically trained for- 

 ester commences with less than 

 $10 per month and a Major 

 Forest Officer receives a salary 

 of SI, 000 to $1,500 per annum. 



The total force on the Utchi- 

 mappu Minor Forest consists 

 of thirteen men, and the 

 monthly pay roll amounts to 

 $115. 



Transportation is one of the 

 most interesting phases of the 

 work in the woods of Japan, 

 a fact due partly to the almost 

 total lack of horses. Man bears 

 the burden of the beast in this 

 country, and most of the haul- 

 ing is accomplished through 

 human strength. Well graded 

 roads are ordinarily laid out 

 through the forest to be logged, 

 and are provided with skids or 

 crossties a few feet apart. The 

 logs are loaded on to small 

 wooden sleds, which are made 

 mobile by two coolies pulling 

 in front and one pushing from 

 behind. The loads slip along 

 comparatively easily on the 

 skidroad, and the logs are 

 transported in this manner to 

 the stream, railroads or saw- 

 mill as the case may be. The 

 sled is not so heavy but that 

 it can be picked up and car- 

 ried back into the woods by one man. 



Baby railroads are constructed where 

 long hauls have to be made, and where 

 there is sufficient timber to justify the 



investment. One is being operated at brakes are provided each car, which is 

 Utchimappu as well as one of consider- verv essential in order to avoid 

 able length at Odate. 



A Water Balance 



THE LOGS ARE RAISED UP THIS STEEP INCLINE BY FILLING THE 

 DUMMY CAR AT THE TOP WITH WATER UNTIL IT OUTWEIGHS 

 THE CAR CARRYING THE LOGS 



road is built single track, with no sidings, 

 and the car is light enough for one man 

 to lift it off the track when it is met by a 

 loaded car coming down. Efficient 



The roadbed is accidents. 



