a forest working plan. 443 



Method of Cutting. 



There are but two commonly used methods of cutting timber, viz, chopping 

 or sawing. As sawing the timber does away with a great deal of unnecessary 

 waste caused b}' chopping, this method is recommended for cutting the timber on 

 these townships. It is readily apparent, even to those who are entirely unacquainted 

 with the different methods of cutting, that a tree felled and cut up with a saw 

 must necessarily yield more lumber than one which is cut with an ax. The kerf, 

 when a log is cut with an ax, causes a large loss at the butt, which is usually 

 the best part of the log. A full illustration of the difference between the two 

 rnethods of cutting, and approximate loss occasioned by chopping timber rather 

 than by sawing, was fully shown and illustrated in the working plan made for 

 Township 40, and for that reason it is not considered necessary here to go any 

 deeper into this subject. It should always be borne in mind, however, that the 

 larger the tract being lumbered the greater would be the corresponding loss by 

 allowing the timber to be cut by the more wasteful method of chopping. 



In cutting spruce and balsam logs on this tract it is advisable that they be cut in 

 even lengths of ten, twelve, fourteen and sixteen feet, as these lengths make even 

 two-foot lengths of pulpwood when cut up before rossing. An additional length 

 of four inches on each log should be allowed to cover the necessary loss in 

 trimming off the battered, discolored and damaged ends of the logs, caused 

 by their being driven over rocky falls and lying in the water. If the logs were 

 to be manufactured at Raquette Lake, or shipped to some point by railroad 

 which would not necessitate long driving, three inches in additional length would 

 probably cover all necessary trimming. 



Sixteen-foot lengths should only be allowed when they are cut for the purpose 

 of saving timber or bringing the cutting point in the top of the tree to the 

 desired limit. No butt logs should be allowed to be cut sixteen feet long unless 

 on account of breaks or other visible defects. If longer lengths than sixteen feet 

 were allowed to be scaled at the top end it would cause a loss to the State on 

 account of the taper and decrease of the diameter when compared with timber 

 cut thirteen feet long, this being the length upon which the scale rule advised is 

 based. If the timber were cut into even two-foot lengths from ten to sixteen 

 feet, and the quantities above and below the thirteen-foot standard length were 

 evenly balanced, there would be no appreciable loss. In cutting the pine timber 

 it is advised that logs be cut into lengths of ten, twelve, fourteen and sixteen 

 feet, as may be best in relation to punk knots, breaks, crotches and other 

 defects. All pine timber should be carefully looked over and measured to the 



