LUMBERING IN PINE EEGION OF CALIFOENIA. 5 



Widely as the operations vary in type, they are alike, with the 

 exception of one new operation, in that logging is done only during 

 the summer months. It may begin during the latter half of April 

 or the first part of May and continue until November or the begin- 

 ning of December, depending upon the altitude and latitude. The 

 average operation is under way about May 10 and continues until 

 the latter part of November, thus having a season of from 156 to 165 

 working-days. Sawing begins shortly after the work in the woods 

 and ordinarily continues for from one to four weeks longer. Both 

 logging and milling are customarily shut down for the winter by 

 Christmas or before. 



LABOR. 



Since most of the labor is employed for less than seven months each 

 year, it is inclined to be unstable. There are two classes — one, to 

 which belong most of the men in the skilled and better-paid positions, 

 winters on the ranches and in the towns of central Cahfornia, fre- 

 quently returning to the same operation season after season; the 

 other is purely transient and works on one job from a few days to one 

 season and then moves on to the next. The mill crews are usually 

 much less transient than the woods force. 



The labor problem is yearly becoming more difficult, and the pro- 

 portion of foreign labor is increasing. The bulk of the woods work 

 is now done by American-born workmen. The more tedious work — 

 bucking, swamping, and woodcutting — is largely done by southern 

 Europeans. This is also true of railroad construction, though some 

 companies have Irish and American crews. In some localities Indians 

 perform the cheaper woods work and Mexicans are employed in rail- 

 road grading. In the sawmills American labor prevails in the more 

 important positions and in handling machinery. Unskilled labor in 

 the mill and nearly all lumber handlers are southern Europeans. 

 Frequently entire yard crews, with the exception of the foreman, are 

 composed of Italians. Labor in box factories and finishing plants is 

 u.sually American bom and, especially in the box factories, is made 

 up of young men and boys. 



Labor for logging camps is usually secured by hiring either at the 

 plant or in the nearest city or large town. In the spring the higher 

 grade employees make application to the superintendent, some even 

 being hired by letter. Many of the other men do the same, but it is 

 frequently necessary for the logging superintendent to visit the nearest 

 city and engage men, paying their way to the works and guaranteeing 

 their unpaid board bills. Later on in the summer, wlien the men 

 become restless and begin to leave, it is often necessary to secure men 

 from employment agoncios, whicli (intails paying tlie fares to the 

 plant. The men are usually hired by the day or the month. La})or 



