16 BULLETIN 440, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGBICTJLTUBE. 
A labor cost of 60 cents per 1.000 would ordinarily be divided 
between the different steps of the operation in about the following 
proportion: Felling, 19 cents; limbing, 7 cents; bucking, 34 cents. 
In the very rough timber on the east slope of the Sierras an extra 
limber is often required at an additional cost of 82.75 per day, or 
normally 7 cents per 1,000. 
The addition of an undercutter and extra buckers increases the 
output but does not materially affect the cost. The advantage of 
a very expert undercutter is a saving in breakage. Further, the 
enlarged crews sometimes fit in better with the size of the logging 
operations. For example, a small single band mill might be served 
more cheaply by one set of three f allers than by two sets of two each. 
In logging operations where the logs are yarded in long lengths, 
the standard crew under ordinary conditions is two fallers, one 
limber, and two buckers. The average daily labor cost of such a 
crew is Slo, which amounts to 50 cents per 1,000 at 30,000 daily; 
43 cents per 1,000 at 35,000 daily; 40 cents per 1,000 at 38,000 daily; 
and 37 cents per 1,000 at 40,000 daily. 
Two systems are employed for bucking long logs into short lengths 
at the yarding engines. The first is used only in the smaller timber 
of the pure yellow-pine stands, where the work is done by hand. 
Two men are required at a machine averaging from 25,000 to 30,000 
daily and three men at a machine yarding from 38.000 to 40,000. 
The cost is 23 cents per 1.000 for a machine averaging 26,000 feet 
per day; 20 cents for one averaging 30,000; 24 cents for one averag- 
ing 35,000; and 21 cents for one averaging 40,000. Thus it appears 
that this system does not reduce the cost of felling and bucking. 
The saving comes in yarding. In the larger timber a portable steam 
saw does the bucking at each yarder. Steam is furnished by pipes 
from the donkey boilers. A 20-foot metallic hose may connect the 
pipe to the saw in order to permit the saw being moved from one 
log cut to another. If a hose is not used, each log cut must be 
spotted at the saw. Two men are required to operate a saw of this 
type. The daily cost, including upkeep, is about S6. The maximum 
amount that may be sawed daily is 80,000 feet, or well in excess of 
the output of any yarder in this region. The cost of saving is 23 
cents per 1,000 at a machine yarding 26,000 daily; 20 cents at one 
yarding 30,000; 17 cents at one yarding 35,000; and 15 cents at one 
yarding 40,000. Thus this system lowers the cost of bucking in all 
cases where the average amount yarded daily per machine is in 
excess of 30,000 feet. 
Many concerns situated in northern California log in lengths up 
to 32 or 40 feet as far as the mill pond. Logs over 20 feet in length 
are then bucked once with a steam drag-saw which is located on the 
pond or just inside the mill. This system saves considerable in 
