270 FOREST PRODUCTS 



4. It is generally cheaper for the producer to hew the ties on the 

 ground where the trees are felled rather than to indulge in an 

 an expensive haul of slabwood which is generally wasted. In 

 other words, it is usually cheaper to hew ties and haul them 

 directly to market than to haul the logs to a sawmill and then 

 load and haul the ties to the point of shipment. This pre- 

 supposes a condition where a choice of method must be made. 

 Sawed ties are usually made in a sawmill where the principal 

 product is lumber, the ties being cut out of the knotty hearts of 

 the logs. 

 As opposed to these arguments, the following points are sometimes 

 adduced in favor of the sawed ties : 



1. Hewing generally means the waste of a large amount of mate- 

 rial. The waste is estimated by Zon in hewing loblolly pine 

 at from 25 to 75 per cent of the available material. It is pointed 

 out that as a rule only one tie is hewed from a 15-in. log that 

 could be sawed into two ties. It is estimated by the Forest 

 Service that 285,000,000 cu. ft. are wasted every year in 

 hewing ties. 



2. The sawed tie is cut to specific dimensions, so that in treating 

 them the desired absorption of preservatives per cubic foot can 

 be accurately determined. This cannot be followed accurately 

 with hewed ties, each of which, in reality, has a different vol- 

 ume, and it is obvious that each tie cannot be measured before 

 treatment. 



3. More sawed than hewed ties can be loaded on a cylinder buggy 

 for treatment so that the daily output of the preservation plant 

 is increased and consequently the cost of treating per tie is 

 decreased. 



4. Tie plates and rails will find a more even and uniform bearing 

 surface on sawed than on hewed ties. The latter must or- 

 dinarily be adzed before the plates and rails are spiked. This is 

 usually offered as a serious objection, especially where tie plates 

 are used. 



5. The hewed tie contains much needless volume and weight and, 

 therefore, is more expensive to handle and to transport. 



SPECIFICATIONS AND PRICES 



There has been a marked tendency to increase the size of the specifi- 

 cations of ties used by the larger railway systems to meet the demands 



