LUMBERING IN PINE REGION OF CALIFORNIA. 17 
bucking and apparently does not increase railroading expenses. 
The practice of bucking into short lengths at the yarders prevails 
for chute and most narrow-gauge railroad logging. The method of 
crosscutting at the mill is becoming more common as the use of chutes 
decreases and more standard-gauge logging railroads are built. 
Felling and bucking is frequently done by contract, usually more 
cheaply than by day labor. This advantage may, however, be 
offset by carelessness in felling. Either for this or some other 
reason most concerns avoid the contract system. The contract 
rates vary from 15 cents per thousand for felling and 25 cents for 
bucking on a very favorable operation, the company to furnish and 
fit tools, to 65 cents per 1,000 for the entire felling and bucking 
operation under ordinary conditions. Upon one National Forest 
timber sale area the felling and bucking is contracted for at 75 cents 
per 1,000. 
Peeling the logs is done only in horse logging operations. The 
larger logs are usually peeled on one side and sniped on the small 
end. The cost is about one man's time for an operation of from 
30,000 to 40,000, or from 7 cents to 10 cents per 1,000. Sniping the 
ends of the larger logs is also done on some donkey logging operations 
in heavy timber and loose granitic or volcanic soil. A member of 
the yarding crew does such sniping in connection with knotting and 
swamping. 
MAINTENANCE. 
Saws and axes for felling and bucking, with ordinary use, should 
last from a half to a full season. The other equipment should last 
for a season or more. The annual cost of tools and equipment for 
an ordinary felling and bucking crew is estimated at $250 ; or 5 cents 
per 1,000 feet, if the daily output is 35,000. A cheap grade of 
kerosene is used for the saws, and its cost under any conditions does 
not exceed one-half cent per 1,000. 
One saw filer can easily fit from 10 to 12 saws daily, and 14 by 
working hard. Fallers use a saw from 1| to 2 days without refitting, 
and buckers about 1^ days. Therefore one saw filer can care for 
the saws of three ordinary sets of fallers or two three-man sets. 
Thus, ordinarily, there is a saw filer at each camp. The use of steam 
saws does not make muc,h difference in the amount of saw fitting. 
The cost of fitting is usually about 4 cents per 1,000, though it may 
run up to 6 cents. 
The cost of maintenance and supplies for felling and bucking is 
about 8 cents per 1,000 under favorable conditions; 10 cents per 1,000 
under normal conditions; and 12 cents per 1,000 under adverse 
conditions. 
57172°— Bull. 440—17 2 
