HARVESTING THE PRODUCTS OF THE WOODLOT 155 



are very narrow. In general trees should be harvested when 

 they are financially ripe, or before the slower growth of old 

 age begins. When the increased value of a larger product or 

 its usefulness will make up for the loss due to the slower 

 growth, trees should be allowed to grow to large size. When 

 a tree becomes over mature in the woodlot because of the very 

 slow growth wounds are not covered over quickly and the 

 exposed wood is soon attacked by fungi and begins to decay. 

 Trees in the woodlot should be harvested while the wood is 

 sound. 



Cutting Trees from the Woodlot. — The products from the 

 small woodlot for farm use and for sale are usually harvested 

 by the owner himself. He goes into the woods each winter 

 with his help and cuts out such material as is needed. In 

 cutting a tree an undercut is made with the ax on the side 

 of the trunk, to determine the direction the tree is to fall and 

 to keep the tree from splitting and kicking back. This should 

 be cut about 2 inches deep in coniferous trees, and in hard- 

 woods it should extend to the center of the tree. It should 

 be made as low down on the trunk as possible. It is more 

 difficult to saw a low stump than a high one, but much good 

 wood is thrown away in cutting high stumps. The added ma- 

 terial will more than repay any extra exertion necessary. Low 

 stumps sprout better than high ones, and in growing trees 

 from sprouts this is an important consideration. 



The cross-cut saw is then used to saw the tree through 

 from the opposite side. The bark should be chipped off 

 round the tree where the saw will cut so that it will not impede 

 the motion of the saw. The saw should be started about 2 

 inches above the notch and drawn back and forth with a 

 regular, smooth swing. It should not be forced hard against 

 the wood, but allowed to run freely in contact with it. If the 

 kerf is sawed parallel to the notch the tree will fall in that 

 direction. If one corner of the notch is sawed across before 

 the other the tree will have a tendency to swing away from 



