TIMBER-FELLING. 285 



are to be barked, then the fall must take place in spring when 

 the sap is beginning to flow; and for bentwood furniture 

 summer-felled Beech is preferred for steaming. Summer-felled 

 wood is also easier to cleave and split than winter-felled. If 

 Conifers are left in woods after felling, they are almost certain 

 to become infested with bark-beetles during spring, and should 

 if possible be removed at latest by the middle of June, or else 

 barked, leaving only narrow rings of bark at ends and middle 

 to try and prevent cracking. Osier-holts are cut from January 

 onwards, unless inundated, while thinnings in plantations can 

 best be done in spring. If felling be done by the proprietor's 

 own men, they are much more likely to be careful of his 

 interests as regards damage to fences, other trees, and under- 

 woods, and felling and logging to best advantage, &c., than if 

 the timber merchant's employees do the felling and logging. 

 In felling timber the main points to be kept in view are : 



1. All trees to be felled should be plainly blazed and hammer-marked both 

 on stem and root. 2. Trees should be felled so as to give the largest possible 

 out-turn in timber, all large trees being felled by axe and saw. 3. Trees 

 should be felled so as to do the least damage to other trees, underwood, 

 fences, or themselves. Lopping the branches is often desirable. On 

 hillsides it is usually best to let the tree fall slantingly uphill, because 

 the crash is then least, and the log can generally be removed easier. 

 4. Trees should be felled in the direction from which their removal is easiest, 

 unless unnecessary damage would thereby be done. 5. Timber felled 

 should be at once cross-cut by saw into the best size of logs, and removed to 

 the nearest road or ride, and more trees should not be at any time felled and 

 left on the ground than can be conveniently dragged out within the next two 

 or three days. 6. On reaching the road, the smaller classes of wood from 

 thinnings (poles) should be at once assorted according to their size and class 

 for sale or other disposal. 7. Trees to be barked should be stripped im- 

 mediately after felling, and before the logs are dragged out to the road. 

 8. Felling operations should be temporarily suspended during high wind, 

 to avoid accidents, and because of the uncertainty of making the tree 

 fall in the desired direction. 9. Large trees and poles over about 9 in. 

 diameter at base should, as a rule, be felled by axe and saw ; while small 

 poles and coppice-growth should be smoothly and slantingly cut by bill or 

 by axe, according to their size, to prevent water lodging and rotting the 

 stools, and to stimulate shoot-production. 



