LUMBERING IN PINE EEGION OF CALIFORNIA. 17 



bucking and apparently does not increase railroading expenses. 

 The practice of bucking into short lengths at the yarders prevails 

 for chute and most narrow-gauge railroad logging. The method of 

 crosscutting at the mill is becoming more common as the use of chutes 

 decreases and more standard-gauge logging railroads are built. 



FeUing and bucking is frequently done by contract, usually more 

 cheaply than by day labor. This advantage may, however, be 

 offset by carelessness in felling. Either for this or some other 

 reason most concerns avoid the contract system. The contract 

 rates vary from 15 cents per thousand for felling and 25 cents for 

 bucking on a very favorable operation, the company to furnish and 

 fit tools, to 65 cents per 1,000 for the entire felling and bucking 

 operation under ordinary conditions. Upon one National Forest 

 timber sale area the felling and bucking is contracted for at 75 cents 

 per 1,000. 



Peeling the logs is done only in horse logging operations. The 

 larger logs are usually peeled on one side and sniped on the small 

 end. The cost is about one man's time for an operation of from 

 30,000 to 40,000, or from 7 cents to 10 cents per 1,000. Sniping the 

 ends of the larger logs is also done on some donkey logging operations 

 in heavy timber and loose granitic or volcanic soil. A member of 

 the yarding crew does such sniping in connection with knotting and 

 swamping. 



MAINTENANCE. 



Saws and axes for felling and bucking, with ordinary use, should 

 last from a half to a full season. The other equipment should last 

 for a season or more. The annual cost of tools and equipment for 

 an ordinary f eUing and bucking crew is estimated at $250 ; or 5 cents 

 per 1,000 feet, if the daily output is 35,000. A cheap grade of 

 kerosene is used for the saws, and its cost under any conditions does 

 not exceed one-half cent per 1,000. 



One saw filer can easily fit from 10 to 12 saws daily, and 14 by 

 working hard. Fallers use a saw from 1^ to 2 days without refitting, 

 and buckers about 1^ days. Therefore one saw filer can care for 

 the saws of three ordinary sct3 of faUers or two three-man sets. 

 Thus, ordinarily, there is a saw filer at (^ach camp. The use of steam 

 saws does not make muc,h difference in the amount of saw fitting. 

 The cost of fitting is usually about 4 cents per 1,000, though it may 

 run up to 6 cents. 



The cost of maintenance and supplies for felling and bucking is 

 about 8 cents per 1 ,000 under favorable; conditions; 10 cents per 1,000 

 under normal c(jnditi(^ns; and 12 c(!nts per 1,000 under adverse 

 conditions. 



07172''-' I5iill. 440- -17 2 



