140 THE REARING OF 



time, consequently it need not be adopted except- 

 ing in extreme cases, where there is evidently danger 

 to the young and growing trees. 



In most cases an expert woodsman can, from ob- 

 servation and practice, make a tree fall very nearly 

 to any given point he may choose as an opening of 

 the safest description. The method practised by 

 expert woodsmen in this sort of work is, to observe, 

 first, toward which side the tree he may be about 

 to cut has naturally its centre of gravity. Having 

 ascertained this point, he proceeds to judge if the 

 tree will or can be made to fall into a proper 

 opening among the growing trees ; and being 

 from observation well assured as to the side 

 to which the tree can be made to fall with 

 the most safety, he commences to cut first upon 

 the side to which he wishes it to fall : after 

 cutting the tree rather more than half through 

 upon that side, so as to throw the centre of 

 gravity in the desired direction, he next applies 

 his axe to the opposite side. As he gradually 

 weakens the perpendicular attitude of the tree, he 

 observes now and then if the centre of gravity in 

 the tottering tree is likely to take an unexpected 

 turn upon him, and if so, he checks the same by 

 cutting oppositely ; and by these means alone I have 

 had men who could lay down trees upon the 

 ground to almost any given point. But, notwith- 

 standing all this, I have frequently had to do with 



