LOGGING IN THE DOUGLAS FIR REGION. 
33 
feet of the fallers to slip downhill. The springboard, together with 
calked shoes, prevents this. Furthermore, there is a certain spring 
in the boards when the fallers are working that makes it easier for 
them to pull the saw. 
THE FELLING CUT. 
The undercut completed, the next step is the making of the felling 
cut. This is done with a falling saw. Prior to about 1880 the 
felling cut was made with an ax but not so satisfactory. Wedges 
can not be used when felling with an ax, so 
that it is difficult to throw a tree in any 
direction except that in which it leans. 
Furthermore, the output of a set of fallers 
is considerably less when working only 
with an ax than when working with saw 
and ax. Then, too, the loss of wood is larger when the ax is used 
exclusively. 
The felling cut is started slightly above and opposite the under- 
cut. When the saw has buried itself in the wood, steel wedges and 
plates are driven in behind it to prevent binding. In small, second- 
growth timber, the fallers may saw in a direction parallel to the 
undercut. As a rule, however, they change the direction of the cut 
so as to be continually sawing across a corner. If a tree leans heavily 
in the direction it is to be thrown, a different method is used. Such 
Fig. 3. — Falling ax. 
Fig. 4. — Spring or chopping board. 
a tree will naturally break off while there is still considerable wood 
holding it to the stump; and, if any of this wood is on the outside 
of the tree, there is a likelihood of its splitting up the side of the 
butt log. To prevent this, the fallers make side cuts, so that there 
is nothing to break when the tree falls except the wood on the 
inside of the stump. Much the same method is used with a tree 
that is rotten about the heart. 
When it is desired to draw a tree slightly to one side of the direc- 
tion in which it leans, the greatest thickness of wood between the 
felling cut and undercut is left on the side toward which it is desired 
to draw the tree. Wedges are also employed with this latter method. 
61361°— Bull. 711—18 3 
