TKHMS USED IN LOGGING 471 
hinges to the side of the sluice so that it can be swung across the opening 
to i)reveiit tlie out How of water. (Gen.) 
Batch, n. A raft of hunber composed of a number of units. (S. F.) 
Batten, n. A log le.ss than 11 inches in diameter, inside bark, at the small 
end. (Maine.) 
Battery, n. Two or more road engines for dragging logs, set at intervals on 
a long skid road. A " side " may include a " battery," which in turn may 
include a roader, a " half-breed " and a yarding donkey. The term is not 
commonly used. (P. C. F.) 
Bean house. The foreman's office at a depot camp. (E. C.) 
Beaver, /(.. See Swamper; Woodi)ecker. 
Becket, n. 1. A large hook formerly used in loading logs on cars by means 
of tackle. It is now seldom used. (P. C. F.) 
2. An eye or grommet in a rope through which another rope or cable may 
play. (Gen.) 
Bed a tree, to. To level up the path in wliich a tree is to fall, so that it may 
not be shattered. (P. C. F.) 
Bicycle, n. See Trolley. 
Bigness scale. See Full scale. 
Big wheels. See Logging wheels. 
Billet, n. A short, round section of a log. (Gen.) 
Binder, n. A springy pole used to tighten a binding chain. (Gen.) 
Syn.: jim binder. 
Binding chain. A chain used to bind together a load of logs. (Gen.) 
Syn.: wrapper chain. (N. F.) 
Binding logs. Logs placed on the top of the chain binding a load, in order to 
take up the slack. (Gen.) 
Birl, V. To cause a floating log to rotate rapidly by treading upon it. (Gen.) 
Bitch chain. 1. A short, heavy chain with hook and ring, used to fasten the 
lower end of a gin pole to a sled or car when loading logs. (N. F.) 
2. A short, heavy chain connecting the main hne and the haul back line 
of a yarding donkey, also serving as a point of attachment for the tackle 
fastened to the logs. When a cable is used instead of a chain, it is known 
as a bitch line. 
Syn.: butt chain, butt line. (P. C. F.) 
Bitch line. See Bitch chain, 2. 
Black cypress. A term used by woodsmen to denote cypress timber of heavy 
weight. (S. F.) 
Blaze, V. To mark, by cutting into trees, the course of a boundary, road, 
trail or the Uke. (Gen.) 
Syn.: spot. (N. W.) 
Block, n. 1. A pulley of several types used in power logging to change the 
direction of haul, or to increase the pulling power. (P. C. F.) 
2. See Brail. 
Block-and-whip. An arrangement of a cable and block, to secure added 
power for moving logs. The free end of the main cable, bearing a swamp 
hook, is passed through a l)lo(!k fastened to the log to })e moved, and then 
attached to a stump. When a log has been pulled ahead as far as practic- 
