14 BULLETIN 440, TJ. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
for the larger trees. Each bucker should have two saws, and there 
must be some extras in the filing shack. The ordinary length of 
bucking saws is Ih feet. Both kinds of saws are commonly 12-gauge 
on the edge and 17 gauge on the back. The bucking saw has a wider 
blade than the felling type and may have slightly shorter teeth. 
The net price at San Francisco of the best quality saws is from 72 
cents to 75 cents per foot. Detachable wooden handles are used, 
which cost about 65 cents per pair for the reversible Pacific coast 
type and 35 cents per pair for the common type. 
Each "faller" carries a felling ax, and each bucker and limber has 
a swamping ax. All axes are double bit. Felling axes vary in weight 
from 3J to 4^ pounds, and the net price is from $9 to $10 per dozen 
for the best quality. Swamping axes are preferred about one-half 
pound heavier, and cost 50 cents per dozen more. Handles for these 
axes cost from $2 to $2.50 per dozen. 
For each set of fallers and each bucker there is provided a steel 
sledge for driving wedges. Those used by fallers weigh from 10 to 12 
pounds, and those used by buckers 8 pounds. The cost ranges from 
20 to 27 cents per pound. In a well-equipped crew each set of fallers 
has four steel felling wedges weighing 8 or 10 pounds, and each 
bucker has three bucking wedges weighing from 4 to 7 pounds. The 
cost of the best steel wedges is 30 cents per pound. 
Often each bucker carries an ordinary shovel. Shovels cost $8 per 
dozen. The limber or faller marking the log lengths uses an 8-foot 
marking stick, fashioned from a narrow strip of pine lumber. On 
steep ground or in large timber each set of fallers commonly has one 
or two springboards. A bottle of kerosene oil must be carried by 
each sawyer for the purpose of loosening the pitch which accumulates 
on the saw. From 1J to 2 pints daily is required per saw, or from 
1 to H gallons for a crew averaging 35,000 feet daily. 
A liberal tool allowance for an operation averaging from 110,000 
to 120,000 feet daily, all logs bucked into short lengths in the woods, 
is as follows: 
8 felling saws. 
36 bucking saws. 
30 axes. 
20 sledges. 
48 bucking wedges. 
12 felling wedges. 
16 shovels. 
4 springboards. 
A portable steam drag-saw for bucking at the yarders is listed at 
$200 f . o. b. Portland, Oreg. 
OPERATION. 
First the direction in which the tree is to fall is selected and the 
undercut is made by the undercutter or notcher. The undercutter 
works ahead and notches each tree with an ax in the direction it 
should fall, determining the lean of the tree by eye or sometimes using 
