254 BULLETIN 711^ U. S. DEPAETMENT OF AGEICULTUKE. 



DISCUSSION OF LOGGING COSTS. 



LABOR. 



The cost of felling and bucking (1 and 2) in 1912 and 1913 includes 

 the "wages of the fallers, buckers, head bucker, and the assistant to 

 the head bucker, also a portion of the camp supervision. In 1910 and 

 1911, an assistant to the head bucker was not employed, and the cost 

 of camp supervision was classified under a separate heading. 



The head bucker has charge of the felling and bucking, and, with 

 the aid of an assistant, marks the trees into log lengths. The timber 

 is large and the country rough, making the work of bucking hazard- 

 ous. It is difficult to get the buckers to cut the logs the proper 

 length, and the assistant to the head bucker has been found profitable. 

 The log lengths are measured with a tape. 



In 1912 the shortest logs cut were 16 feet long, but there were few 

 cut shorter than 24 feet. A few 60-foot logs were cut, and a large 

 number of 40-foot logs. The logs averaged about 32 feet in length. 



During 1912 the operation averaged a little more than 3 sets of 

 fallers and a little more than 16 buckers. In March there were 10 

 fallers and 16 buckers. 



The wages paid in 1912 were as follows : 



Head fallers per day $3. 75 



Second fallers do $3. 40- 3. 50 



Buckers do 3. 25 



Head bucker do 3. 75 



Assistant to head bucker . do 3. 00 



It is the policy of the logging superintendent to bring the logging 

 spurs close to the timber, so that it can be single-hauled (3 and 4) 

 from the stump to the landing, unless the cost of constructing the 

 spurs is excessively high or the operation of trains on them is im- 

 practical. Of course, other factors would influence him in deciding 

 whether it was impractical to build a spur line to open up a body 

 of timber. Figure 20 shows that much of the timber logged in 1912 

 was double hauled. This timber, as in the case of 1913, was hauled 

 over the ground. The amount of double hauling done in 1913 is 

 suggested by the labor cost, which appears as a separate item. 



At the beginning of the year 1911 no timber was opened up ex- 

 cept two small tracts, one of which had to be roaded and yarded a 

 maximum distance of 7,500 feet; the other, a maximum distance of 

 4,000 feet. In both cases the timber had to be moved downhill. Later 

 in the year other tracts were opened with pole roads and chutes, this 

 timber being transported 5,000 feet at times. Fully 60 per cent of it 

 was double hauled. 



In 1912 and 1913 all the scalers' wages and a part of the camp 

 supervision were charged against the cost of yarding and swinging. 

 The following yarding crew was used in 1912 : 



