12 
BULLETIN 234, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
Where the cutting is mainly for mine timbers, as is the ease in 
most parts of Montana, the various classes of material are produced 
in the woods by small groups of choppers at contract prices. Each 
group, usually called a ''company," consists of from 2 to 5 men, and 
is assigned to a definite area of from 5 to 15 acres. The men of each 
group fell the trees, saw them into proper lengths, peel the bark 
from the stulls, and dispose of the brush. In Forest Service timber 
sales the latter must be burned. During the safe months of the year, 
from October 1 to June 1, the men burn the brush as the cutting 
proceeds, but in summer they pile it for burning in the fall. Stumps 
are cut low, usually from 4 to 12 inches high. In winter, holes from 
4 to 6 feet deep often have to be shoveled out to reach the proper 
point for cutting the trees. Although it is difficult to work under such 
conditions, particularly since the days are short and are likely to be 
stormy, work usually goes on throughout the year. Based on data 
obtained in connection with a sale at French Gulch, on the Deerlodge 
National Forest, the cost per thousand board feet of producing stulls 
amounts to $4.56. This includes shoveling snow, felling and trim- 
ming the trees, disposing of the brush, cutting the timber into stull 
lengths, and peeling. Fifteen per cent of the total cost is chargeable 
to snow disposal, while the largest single item is peeling, which costs 
$1.55 per thousand board feet, or 34 per cent of the total. The com- 
plete distribution of time in stull making at French Gulch, Mont., 
was as follows: 
Operation. 
Time spent 
in produc- 
ing 1,000 
board feet. 
Cost per 
1,000 feet. 
Per cent 
of total 
cost. 
Shoveling snow 
Felling trees 
Trimming trees 
Brush disposal, piling and burning 
Cutting into stull lengths 
Peeling 
Total 
Minutes. 
72 
50 
20 
77 
100 
165 
IS4 
S0.6S 
.48 
.19 
.73 
.93 
1.55 
4.56 
100 
SKIDDING AND HAULING. 
After the trees have been felled and cut into the proper lengths, 
the logs, ties, mine timbers, and other products are skidded with 
teams or single horses into skidways along the hauling roads or other 
fine of transportation. Whatever brush cutting or removal of down 
timber is necessary to open the way for skidding it is done either by 
swampers or by the skidders themselves. Where logging is easy and 
the distance short, tie cutters often skid their own ties on a light 
hand-sled over the snow, hauling about 10 ties to the load. Ties cut 
from trees near a stream which is to be driven or a main logging 
road are nearlv always " hand-banked " in this manner. In Forest 
