The Grenada gazette. (Grenada, Miss.) 1885-18??, 1889-07-11

WITH THE WOODSMEN.


" 40 d spur Vi = CAV i can dhIOD5Cr anu
was guided up by man who was taking
them some addition to their dinners.
The road ceased altogether soon after
we left the shanty, and it was not long
before even the path disappeared, SC
that we had to force our way through
the thick woods up the steep slope,
guided only by the sounds of chopping
and the crash Of failing trees which
came to our ears.
Most Of the men were young fellows,
with tall, strong, active frames and
frank, honest face. Que or two Of
them wore red nannel-shirts which
looked very picturesque among the
green trees, and all of them made so
merry over their hard work that the
telling of huge trees and looping OF
stout branches seemed rather play
than labor.
When bar1-peelers 90 into the woods
they divide themselves into parties OF
four or five who work together. Each
one Of these parties contains choppers,
ilXcrs and spuddcrs.
The beginning Of the operations be-
longs to the first class The chopper
chooses the first 'good-sized hemIock
that is seen, and it is attacked near the
root with sharp and skillful axe until
it tumbles headlong in just the desired
direction, The fall of one OF these trees.
especially if it be large one. is an
impressive sight The chopper cuts a
broad opening on one side fully hal I
through the great trunk, yet the tree
stands firm and pays no attention tt
the blows, nor to the heavy
chips that continually fly away
from its dark, red heart
wood. Then the chopper goes around
on the other side. and cuts new cash,
a little lower than the first one, since
he intends the tree to fall to that side
Here, too, he cuts deep in before there
are any signs Of conquest. As the axe
begins to touch the center, however,
the topmost limbs are seen to trcmble,
then to sway. and u cracking sound
follows the repeated blows which warn
the poor tree that its time has come.
Then there is tottcring, q little lean.
ing toward the weaker side. which has
the lower cut, and the wOOdmnn. keep.
ing his eye upward and his feet ready
to jump, hurls one last powerful stroke
into the overstraincl tibers. They
fly apart with loud noise, the great
crown bows toward the earth. gains
swifter motion as it dcsccnds. and
comes crashing down upon the weak
and resistlcss brushwOOd with a aoisc
like the mutfled roar of q whole bat
terry and a forco which shakes tho
earth.
Now comes the work of the "fxers. :"
They leap upon the butt OF the fallen
giant, and, striking at the lowest limbs.
first cut off every branch until all are
Topped away to where the trunk grows
too narrow to be worth trimming. A.
fast as little space OF the trunk is
cleared one of the men cuts a notch
through the bark and around the trunk
--"rings' it, as he would say. Four
feet further on he cuts another ring,
and then slits the bark lengthwisc from
one ring to the other. on three or four
sides OF the tree. This goes on every
four feet, as fast as the tree is trimmed,
until the whole length has been thus
"hXed.'
Last of all comes the "spudder,"
whose duty it is to pry of the great
flakes of bark which have been notched
and split for him. He takes his name
from the tool he uses, which is a sort
of small, heavy, sharp-edged spade.
with short handle; perhaps to call it
Il round-bladcd chisel would describe
it more nearly. TO pry off the bark in
this way seems very easy, but they told
me it was the hardest work of all, and
that it required considerable skill to
do it property.
When the bark has been removed it
must be made up into regular piles SO
as to be measured. for it is estimated
and sold by the cord. This is hard
work, for the green and juicy bark is
very heavy and rough to handle.
Sometimes a tree will be found so
large as to furnish cord, or even
more. alone; but the average rate of
yield is mnch less so that experts cal
culate that four trees must be cut
down to obtain a cord Of bark.
1t is only when the new wood is
forming just underneath, and the cells
are soft and full Of sap, that the bark
can be stripped from the log in large
pieces. Peeling therefore, can be car
ried on only during May and June.
The cords Of bark piled then are left to
dry all the summer and fall, and are
hauled out in winter by ox-teams with
sleds, when the deep snow makes a
smooth track over even so terribly
rough road as the one | have men,
toned.
Tho bark-peelers were a very jolly
lot of fellows, singing and joking as
they worked, and at dinner there was
one incessant rattle of stories and fun.
They work hard, eat heartily, go to
bed as soon as it is dark, and rise at
dawn.
1t is interesting workout it leaves
a ruined forest behind.--Ernest 1nger-
soil, in St. Nicholas.
Increased Wear on His Conscience.
"Mr. Hobbs,n said the detected
looking man who had charge of the
pure California fruit CIDER depart
ment of the big grocery store, I'm
afraid you'll have to get somebody to