LUMBEEING IN PUSTE REGION OF CALIFOENIA. 19 



S4 per pair. Swampers should be outfitted with both a double-bit 

 ax and a crosscut saw. 



Operation. — The advisabihty of horse skidding is determined pri- 

 marily by the size of the operation and to some extent by the length 

 of the haul. For small circular mills, whose mvestment must be 

 limited, it proves satisfactory under favorable conditions, such as 

 smooth surfaces, preferably sloping, and timber of moderate size. 

 It is also adapted to slopes (over 20 per cent) too steep for big wheels 

 or trucks. In large operations, areas not suited to big-wheel logging 

 can be yarded more economically by steam contrivances unless the 

 skid haul is very short indeed. A large company located advantage- 

 ously for a combination of horse snaking and horse chute hauHng has 

 during the last few years effected a considerable economy by changing 

 to donkey yarding with increased railroad spur construction. Horse 

 logging on National Forest timber sales is desirable from the stand- 

 point of the silviculturist, because it does less injury to reproduction 

 and imcut trees; but even where it is practicable, the difference in 

 cost is usually so great that it can not reasonably be stipulated in the 

 sale contract. In horse loggmg the logs may be simply bunched, 

 or they may be hauled as far as 600 feet from either side into chutes or 

 to truck landings. This distance seems usually to be the maximum 

 at which the most effective work is done. Instances are on record, 

 however, where conditions were such that the maximum haul was 

 double this distance. The maximum slope for horse snaking is about 

 45 per cent. 



The simplest form of snaking is rolling and bunching logs together 

 in a position for loading on a truck, when the tract is so gentle in 

 slope that logs may be loaded from practically any point. It is 

 practicable in certain open yellow pine and Jeffrey pine stands. A 

 crew consisting of a swamper and a teamster working with a two-horse 

 team ordinarily furnishes and helps load enough logs for one truck, 

 working on a mile haul. The daily labor and team cost is $9; and 

 with a daily output of 13,000 feet, the average cost is 70 cents per 

 1,000. In a similar operation on steeper ground, where truck roads 

 arc so constructed as to permit the trucks being brought into fairly 

 close proximity to the logs, the average daily output is about 38,000 

 feet. The crew consists of three swampers and three teamsters with 

 three four-horse teams. The total daily labor and team cost is $36, 

 which is an average of 05 cents per 1 ,000. 



Exj)oricnco in pino on the east(!rn slojx; of the Sierras lias shown 

 that in skidding to chutes eight horses, divided into two four-horse 

 teams, working a innxinium tlistance of 600 foet, should ])ut in from 

 20,000 to 25,000 daily, 'i'he crow re(juired is two teunistcrs and two 

 swampers, and the total daily cost is ."$26. Thus, nndor ordinary 

 conditions, the cost should range from $1.05 to $l.;iO })(U- 1,000. A 



