6 BULLETIN 718^ U. S. DEPARTMENT OP AGBICULTUEE. 



which if taken into account would reduce their efficiency close t( 

 zero. The custom of trading lumber for inexperienced labor, s 

 prevalent in many places, should never be practiced by the sma 

 operator. 



A real knowledge of how to handle horses is very essential in 

 logging. Thousands of dollars' worth of good horseflesh is ruined 

 by ill-tempered, incompetent teamsters. No part of the operator's 

 investment needs closer supervision than the hauling. A poor 

 teamster is poison (I know of no more expressive term) to a good 

 team. An operator will save money by keeping his horses idle in 

 the barn, no matter how badly their services are needed, rather than 

 allow a brainless teamster to pound them through the timber and 

 over rocks, stumps, and mud holes. Discharge such a person at once. 

 Teams when properly handled will be 100 per cent efficient all the 

 time and thrive. 



High wages do not alwa5^s secure the service of competent labor, 

 particularly in woods work. One gang of sawyers may cut the same 

 amount of board feet in logs as another gang, and yet may cut their 

 logs with such a disregard of correct lengths and of crooks and with 

 such an indiiference as to how the trees are felled for skidding pur- 

 poses that the value of their labor may be only 50 per cent as much 

 as that of the other crew, who do their work as it ought to be done. 



The millman who neglects to supervise his operations rigidly is 

 surely preparing the way to financial disaster. An operator usually 

 works hard at some particular job, such as sawing, and leaves the rest 

 of the work to run itself. His proper place is " bossing the job," and 

 if he does that thoroughly he will have his hands full. In order to 

 instruct men in woods work, the operator must understand it himself. 

 If he lacks this knowledge it would be wise for him to keep out of 

 the portable-mill business or else hire a competent man to run it 

 for him. 



Clean, wholesome living and sleeping quarters for the men, as well 

 as properly cooked food, deserve close attention — a good deal more 

 attention, in fact, than is usually bestowed upon them. " Sour 

 dough " grub and rough living may sound very romantic in a cheap 

 no-sel, but when actually practiced they fail to bring results. Pay 

 the men good wages and feed them well, and see that they earn it. 

 Always have money on hand to pay off men if they quit or you dis- 

 charge them. 



Make it very plain that you want value for every cent you pay 

 in wages or in board. Tolerate no " deadheads " around your camp. 

 Be boss yourself or delegate the job to some one who is qualified 

 to fill the bill. Do not make your camp a dumping ground for all 

 your male relatives. You are supposed to be running a sawmill — 

 not a rest cure. 



