FIFTH NATIONAL CONSERVATION CONGRESS 253 



"The entire operation is carried over a series of contracts. The logging 

 company contracts all the logging, and then sublets on different "chances" 

 the felling, the cutting into logs, bark peeling, log skidding and bark loading. 

 The railroad company contracts to haul the logs to the mill. 



"The logging of the hemlock (18 M. ft. per acre), of course, must be 

 done during the bark-peeling season. The yield of bark is rather low — only 

 about J4 cord of bark per M feet of logs. The bark is then removed some- 

 what before the logs are skidded. The hemlock logs are next taken out 

 (loaded with steam loaders) and sent to the sawmill. 



"The hardwood logs (4 M feet per acre) are next cut and taken to the 

 stave mill, where they are all (beech, birch and maple) cut into staves and 

 heading for sugar barrels. The cherry (about 250 M ft. annually) is 

 shipped in the log for export. 



"After the hardwood logs are taken out, all the cull hardwoods with 

 limbs and tops to 2 inches are cut into chemical wood by contract (about 

 12 to 20 cords per acre). 



"A considerable portion of the inferior hardwoods goes into chemical 

 wood. All dead hemlock and hemlock tops to 2 to 3 inches are taken out for 

 pulpwood. 



"To summarize — hemlock bark first removed ; then hemlock logs ; then 

 best hardwood logs ; then balance of hardwood for chemical wood ; then dead 

 hemlock and hemlock tops for paper wood. This is clear cutting and clean 

 cutting, for after the cutting is done bare land only remains with windrows 

 of small branches as refuse. The land is in a beautiful shape for immediate 

 replanting, if this brush were burned up. America does not show a closer 

 woods utilization of a mixed forest anywhere. 



"The hemlock logs only are sawed into lumber. The mill has a capacity 

 of 200 to 300 M ft. per 24 hours. The equipment consists of the usual pond, 

 two 14-gauge band-saws and one 14-gauge resaw, gang edgers and trimmers. 

 Even lengths and widths only are cut, but lengths down to 6 feet are made. 

 While the writer was in the mill a small hemlock log was cut on the band 

 into one 2x4. A planing mill is also operated in connection with the sawmill, 

 turning out shiplap and other forms of finished lumber. The lumber is 

 graded into three grades, Nos. 1, 2 and 3. 



"The boilers are heated with sawdust and planer refuse, entirely. Slab- 

 wood and edgings are too valuable to use for fuel. The best of the slabs are 

 sawed into lath and the balance turned over to a kindling wood concern at a 

 price for all refuse wood for each thousand feet cut. This concern first 

 picks out the best slabs and edgings and loads them on cars, receiving $3 per 

 4 ft. cord for pulp wood. The remaining slabs and edgings (after the lath 

 and pulp wood are taken out) are run through a series of kindling machines 

 and cut into small blocks about 2J4 inches long. These are kiln dried and 

 shipped to New York City, in oval packs (packed in forms by hand by 

 women and girls). 



"The basement of the mill is concreted, and the entire plant is kept 

 clear of dust by going over it with a "blower" several times a week. No 

 refuse of any kind is in sight. The engine house contains the engine for 

 power, dynamo for electric light, and a special engine for the pump on the 

 fire main connecting the fire hydrants. 



"All the better hardwood logs are sold to the stave company, except the 

 cherry. Birch, beech and maple are cut into sugar barrel heading ajid staves 

 entirely. The mill uses about 60 M ft. per day. Each thousand of logs cuts 

 about 3,300 30-inch staves. The logs are first sectioned into lengths, then 

 quartered into stave bolts, steamed, cut (not sawed) into staves, then trimmed 

 and grooved and air-dried in large sheds. 



