1 Jan., 1899.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 21 
Now, whilst many young men destined for a farming life can plough, sow, 
and do all thatis required with horse implements and labour-saving appliances, 
there are few who have not been bred up on and who have not assisted in 
clearing and fencing farms in timbered country who would know how to set 
about the work of getting fencing stuff. They probably have not the slightest 
idea of choosing a tree that will “run” well. As a consequence they must 
either make sapling fences or they must call in the aid of a professional 
fencer, and pay him for doing work which, in their leisure time and in rainy 
weather, they could easily do for themselves at no actual outlay of cash beyond 
the necessary tools. . 
Splitting, then, should, I maintain, form a part of an agricultural educa- 
tion, as much as ploughing. Indeed, for the serub farmer, ploughing is not 
nearly so necessary as splitting and clearing timber, because quite two years, 
if not three, must elapse before he can begin to stump his land to fit it for the 
plough, all the work being done meanwhile with axe and hoe. 
Again, take the use of the American axe. It is an art, and one which 
can only be gained by experience and much practice. Look at a new chum 
cutting down atree. He ehops. away all round it until he has produced a 
sort of ragged peg-top, and then discovers that he cannot get another chip out 
anywhere; yet there are 6 or 8 inches of wood to get through before the tree 
can fall, so he pounds away fruitlessly, jamming the edge of his axe in the 
bottom of the cut, probably springing the handle. Then, when his tree decides 
to fall, there is no telling which way it will go, and he probably runs away, 
and usually the tree falls in his direction, and he runs the risk of being killed 
or of killing others who may be admiring his skill. : 
Not many of our town-bred lads have ever learned to handle an axe, nor 
can they ever do so without proper instruction. 
Sawing off a log appears an easy piece of work, but one unused to it will 
give himself and his mate an amount of hard work which could easily be 
avoided. In this connection we have to learn the setting, sharpening, and 
“summing” of a saw—all requiring skilled teaching. Even the grinding of 
an axe to enable it to do the best work is an art. 
I propose to give a few lessons in the art of timber-getting, splitting, and 
fencing—lessons which I have learned myself practically for the purpose of 
gaining a living; and although practical lessons in the bush are worth reams 
of paper teaching, still something may be gained, I hope, from what follows 
here. 
THE TOOLS, 
I shall first deal with the tools required for all splitting and fencing work. 
These are:—The American axe, crosscut saw, maul rings, set of wedges, 
running-out axe, shingle throw, tomahawk or shingling hammer, morticing axe, 
auger, adze, crowbar, pick, long-handled shovel, grindstone, three-cornered 
files, saw-set, spokeshave, handsaw, oilstone, wooden maul, shingling mallet, 
and rammer. ‘The three latter, of course, are made of bush timber. It is not 
good policy to restrict oneself to a single tool of each kind. Accidents will 
happen, and possibly the splitting camp may be located many miles from a 
store where anything can be replaced. By the way, a piece of greenhide will 
be found very serviceable in the bush, and also a few pieces {of old boot uppers 
—the latter being very handy for tightening a handle in the eye of a throw or 
running-out axe. . 
We will suppose that the full equipment is obtained, and the splitters to 
have reached their destination either by boat, dray, or packhorses. 
If no tent has been provided, obviously the first thing to do—atfter lighting 
a fire, and making sure of plenty of water—is to rig up w shelter of some kind. 
Where bark is plentiful, this is a matter very soon arranged. But yet, here, 
at the very outset, the new chum is confronted with his first difficulty—how to 
take off a sheet of bark 6 or 7 feet long, without a ladder. Then his expe- 
rienced mate will teach him to make a bush ladder with a forked sapling. 
