LUMBERING IN PINE REGION OF CALIFORNIA. 5 
Widely as the operations vary in type, they are alike, with the 
exception of one new operation, in that logging is done only during 
the summer months. It may begin during the latter half of April 
or the first part of May and continue until November or the begin- 
ning of December, depending upon the altitude and latitude. The 
average operation is under way about May 10 and continues until 
the latter part of November, thus having a season of from 156 to 165 
working-days. Sawing begins shortly after the work in the woods 
and ordinarily continues for from one to four weeks longer. Both 
logging and milling are customarily shut down for the winter by 
Christmas or before. 
LABOR. 
Since most of the labor is employed for less than seven months each 
year, it is inclined to be unstable. There are two classes — one, to 
which belong most of the men in the skilled and better-paid positions, 
winters on the ranches and in the towns of central California, fre- 
quently returning to the same operation season after season; the 
other is purely transient and works on one job from a few days to one 
season and then moves on to the next. The mill crews are usually 
much less transient than the woods force. 
The labor problem is yearly becoming more difficult, and the pro- 
portion of foreign labor is increasing. The bulk of the woods work 
is now done by American-born workmen. The more tedious work — 
bucking, swamping, and woodcutting— is largely done by southern 
Europeans. This is also true of railroad construction, though some 
companies have Irish and American crews. In some localities Indians 
perform the cheaper woods work and Mexicans are employed in rail- 
road grading. In the sawmills American labor prevails in the more 
important positions and in handling machinery. Unskilled labor in 
the mill and nearly all lumber handlers are southern Europeans. 
Frequently entire yard crews, with the exception of the foreman, are 
composed of Italians. Labor in box factories and finishing plants is 
usually American born and, especially in the box factories, is made 
up of young men and boys. 
Labor for logging camps is usually secured by hiring either at the 
plant or in the nearest city or large town. In the spring the higher 
grade employees make application to the superintendent, some even 
being hired by letter. Many of the other men do the same, but it is 
frequently necessary for the logging superintendent to visit the nearest 
city and engage men, paying their way to the works and guaranteeing 
their unpaid board bills. Later on in the summer, when the men 
become restless and begin to leave, it is often necessary to secure men 
from employment agencies, which entails paying the fares to the 
plant. The men are usually hired by the day or the month. Labor 
