82 COMMISSION OP CONSERVATION 



cost of lopping at an average of two and one-half cents per stan- 

 dard, remarks, that to offset this, he was able to rrni a skidding 

 crew about one man less to each team, and also occasionally got a 

 log that would otherwise be left. The actual additional cost he 

 did not think would be over five cents per thousand feet board 

 measure. He believed, that, when four-foot pulp-wood was taken, 

 the cost of lopping would be entirely made up in the extra amoimt 

 of wood he would get. In addition, his forest was left in much 

 better condition than under the old plan, and he believes that 

 it decreases materially the danger from forest fires. 



"A remarkable saving in connection with lopping was made by 

 another operator who had been cutting spruce for saw logs, taking 

 the timber out with what was considered good economy. He left 

 the lopping until after the logs were removed, and then went 

 through, lopping the branches and taking the timber out of the 

 tops for pulpwood. In this operation, with a force of eight men 

 and a horse employed six days, ninety-seven cords of pulpwood were 

 obtained that would bring him $7 per cord delivered at the mill. 

 This is an average of two cords per man per day, making a very 

 profitable operation." 



Skidding. — Some operators claim while others deny, that the lop- 

 ping of tops will materially facilitate skidding operations, on account 

 of the brush being less in the way and easier handled when necessary. 

 Some of the friends of the law state that this advantage offsets at least 

 a considerable part of the extra cost imposed by the law. 



Peeling in the Woods. — Some operators make a practice of peeling 

 the stick of pulpwood as a part of the woods operation, instead of 

 leaving it to be rossed at the mill. Peeled pulpwood will dry out with 

 relatively greater rapidity and is therefore lighter and more can be hauled 

 at a load than where peeling is not done. One operator claims that the 

 saving in this respect is sufficient to pay for the cost of peeling. Peel- 

 ing slightly decreases the bulk, so that there is a loss of about one cord 

 in twelve. This, however, is offset by the higher value at the mill. 



Three-Inch Diameter Limit for Lopping 

 If pulp is peeled in the woods, there is no reason why it cannot 

 be utilized to a diameter limit of two or three inches in the top. If 

 this were generally practicable, it is believed that the problem of top- 

 lopping would be practically solved in connection with the high degree 

 of utilization, since it would seem unnecessary to insist upon lopping 

 any tops below a diameter of three inches. It is claimed however, by 

 operators, that, where the pulpwood must be driven down rocky streams, 

 the cost of handling in the woods, and the loss in driving, will offset 

 the revenue derived from the sale of the small sticks, so that it does not 

 pay to cut to a diameter limit of less than 4 inches. It is also claimed by 

 some operators, that the smaller sticks merely fill up the chinks in the 



