The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-12-07
CUTTING MAHOGANY.
The Work OF Handling u Giant Tree In
tho Tropical Jungle.


hunter is off exploring. Tho precious
Swietenia mahogani does not grow
in dumps and groves, like our pine
and walnut, but each monarch stands
alone in solitary stnto amid donse
growth Of other hugo trees, it's trunk
concealed by wild tangic OF vines,
orchids and uDdcrlrUsi. recurring
tho closest attention of the cxperi
enced woodsmau to detect it. In
tropical wilderness, where tho trees
arc 80 thici, that one can hardly
forco his way between them. tho
whole hung with IN impenetrablo
mass or vcrdurc Us wifi, "a curtain,
thoir mingled tops solid wall which
makes eternal twilight below, and
oyery trnnl. twincd round and round
with crcopers-it is not an easy
matter to distinguish species. Tho
hunter climbs tho tallcst trees that
he can find comparatively clear, and
from its top his praciiced ego de-
tect' tho foliage Of tho coveted ma.
hOgany. He then counts tho trees in
line, notes carefully the direction,
distance and every landmark, Slides
down from his leafy observatory and
proceeds to cut and blaze trail to
his find. This done. he marks tho
trees with his macheto and returns
TO camp. Each man III company is
assigned his particular work-somo
to fell trees, other StO cut truck roads
through the Jungle. others to collect
and haul tho wood and water, oto.
Tho cutters turn out from camp US
soon as it is light enough to SEQ
which i'll tho tall, dense woods means
much later hour than in the regions
whore tho sun has "a better chance to
show itself, and generally by noon
tree cutting for tho day is finished.
All work is dono by tho task system,
which is said to bo tho only way of
handling native labor-that is, ono
mans stint is to cut two trees,
from to 10 feet in circumference.
Two mon arc given throo largo trees
to bring down, or four mon arc do
tailed to lay low some forest giant,
perhaps 20 feet in circumference.
10 tho tendorfoot that seems a
task impossible of accomplishment.
Owing to its enormous buttrcsses
tho trunk cannot bo cut near tho
ground. SO tho exmen Gro obliged to
rig up Il platform 10. Is, 20 or as
many feet high as tho buttrcss ex-
tends. These platforms arc called
"barbccucs, though how that word
applies nobody but an Englishmnn
who pridcs himself on correct uso Of
the language can say. The "barbe.
cue" is mado of slim poles, ono on
each sido of tho tree, OH supports,
and two other poles laid across them;
also ono on each sido of tho tree.
Tho axlnen mount this platform,
with one foot on each polo. two mon
to tree, on opposite sides. and rap
idly fell the troo. It is marvel how
men can stand on these slender poles
and chop down enormous trees, but
they do it, and quickly too. In an
incredibly short timo the stately
monarch of centuries totters and
falls, crashing its way through the
crowd Of smaller trees. The trunks
and branches arc then squared and
are ready for transportation.
IN telling valuable tree every
precaution is taken against breaking
or splitting it and thus spelling tho
lumber. This manner of cutting on
platform seems very wasteful, as
it leaves in the stump an average of
400 feet Of tho best part of tho tree,
SO far as beauty of grain is con-
ccrned-to say nothing of tho
gnarled and twisted roots, which
bear tho same proportionate addi-
tional value that our walnut roots do
to the rest of the treo. but no better
way has yet been devised. Threo
hundred trees are considered good
seasons work for ono camp, each
tree yielding 1000 feet Of timber on
modest estimate of tho average.
When the mornings stint is COM
pletcd, the mon are free the rest of
tho day to hunt, fish, sleep or gam
bic, to search on their own account
for india rubber, salsaparilla and
other marketable products of tho
woods, or to make canoes. paddles,
bowls, etc., from the mahogany
stunps for their own use or to sell
when they return to the haunts of
man. The logs are hauled to the
camp at night, SO as to avoid the in
tense heat of the day. Where the
place is not too remote, oxen do this
part of the work. k.-Hondura Letter
s1ateriallstio Doubts.
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