Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1910-05-14
Saving Smaller Logs

There are some who say that
forestry in Vermont is unnecessary,
that our forests are growing faster
titan they are cut. If this were true
1t would be no argument against in
creasing the forest productivity oi
the state any more than it would be
an argument against better dairyiDp
tO say that our cows are producing
milk as fast as we are using it. Un-
fortunately it is not true, for although
the annual cut of lumber in the
state has remained about the same
the past 25 years, it is being 80
maintained by the cutting of small
trees and by the substitution oi
hardwoods, numbering the hard
woods has only been made possible
in most districts during the past few
years because of the growing scarcity
OF softwoods throughout the country.
and consequent rise in prices OF
hardwoods Many of the sawmills
OF the state are now equipped with
machinery for making bobbins,
clothes-pin or some other small
articles, thus enabling them to utilize
the portions of hardwood logs which
few years ago were wasted.
The state forest service, in order
TO form some accurate idea Of the
size of the logs now being manufac-
tured, made study of two mills:
one belonging to Mr. Knight OF
Underhill, and the other to Mr..
Wheeler in Waterbury. Of the
million and half feet OF logs in the
yard of the Underhill mill 900,00U
feet are hard woods and 100000
feet soft wood OF the latter only
about 100, 900 feet are spruce, here
at the foot of Mount Mansfield, at a
mill whose annual cut OF spruce was
million feet ten years ago. All OF
these logs were purchased, many OF
them being hauled ten or twelve
miles; and some of them at least
from sugar orchards.
A great many logs on the skid
ways of these two mnls were meas
ured just as they came and represent
probably the average run of logs in
this portion of the state, if not OF
the whole state Of the spruce logs
al one mill 70 per cent were less
than ten inches in diameter, 20 per
cent. IL Is inches; 2 per cent 1920
inches. At the other mill, 81 per
cent were less than 10 inches; 33
per cent l. Is; inches; IA per cent
1920 inches. Out of 800 spruce
logs measured it would only be pos
sible to saw two boards 20 inches
vide 1t is also interesting to note
that in the latter mill, where '53 per
cent of the spruce logs were less
than ten inches, these logs only
scaled 25 per cent eff the lumber;
while the logs 11-l5 inches scaled
40 per cent and those 1920 inches
35 per cent.
While the hemlock logs run some
" hat larger than spruce about the
same proportions obtain, namely 55
per cent less than 10 inches; 33 per
cent, ii Is inches; 8 per cent 1920
inches; A per cent, over 20 inches.
Of course the hardwoods are not
sawed so small, and the biggest
proportion of the logs are therefor
between III and Is inches
In SO far as the small softwood
logs represent tops which would
have been wasted ten years ago, mill
practice has improved; but most Of
these small logs represent also small
trees; and herein lies the explanation
OF the fact that lumber cut of Vermont
has not yet materially dropped off;
but the equally evident proof that il
will drop off very materially during
the next few years
George c. Guild put some rhubarb