Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Second part - VII. Forestry - 2. Forest Industries. By E. Arosenius, Ph. D., Royal Central Bureau of Statistics, Stockholm - Timber Cutting
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TIMBER CUTTING.
651
in some places, a kind of prescriptive right to such work. Experience has shown,
however, that, in many cases, the capital acquired by the peasantry through the
sale of their forest land has not been used to improve agriculture, but has only
been wasted on luxuries. The farmer, who was formerly accustomed to limited
means and a frugal manner of living, regarded the hastily acquired sum of money
as almost inexhaustible, until it also proved itself capable of quickly disappearing.
In order to obtain some by-gains, the farmer has then no other resource than to
undertake work at timber-felling, and this advantage then is fraught with a state
of dependence, as he is compelled to accept the prices which the companies
offer him. Besides, it is to be feared that the number of small freeholders will
decrease in consequence of these purchases of farms. With a view to counteract
these disadvantages, the law respecting the partition of lands was passed in
1896, of which further mention will be made in a following division. The
question, how to conciliate the interests of the Saw-mill industry and of
Agriculture, cannot yet be considered as solved; at present, a Royal Committee is
charged to propose suitable measures. — Concerning the important reforms of 1903
in forest legislation, see page 631.
When section-felling does not take place (which felling never
occurs in Norrland), all the trees to be felled are specially marked or
stamped, the mark being struck both on the trunk and at the root,
preferably on a coarse branch of the root, so that after felling it will
be possible to verify, not only that all marked trees have been felled,
but also that no others have been so. For the felling of trees
in the forest, the owner of the saw-mill usually makes a contract
with timber-drivers, who are most frequently the lessees of the
company or farmers from the vicinity. If possible, the owner of
the timber has some one in his own service on the spot to see that
the timber is cross-cat in proper lengths; otherwise the dividing of the
trees would be carelessly done, and a loss of cubic content in the
logs would be the result. Where the working-place is too far from a
village or farm for the workmen to live there, huts have to be built
in the forest.
Usually timber cutting begins in October or November and
continues all winter. This season of the year offers several advantages:
the logs can then most easily be brought out of the forest, the
number of workmen at disposition is greater, while farming work is
discontinued, and the sawn goods taken from timber felled in winter,
are better. It is customary to begin felling operations in that portion
of the forest which lies furthest from the floating way. In order to
facilitate the transportation of the timber, a large number of roads
and tracks must be made in the woods. The main-roads are carefully
made, and as substantial and wide as possible, great care also being
taken to keep them in good condition; sometimes they are iced over
artificially, by pouring on water. From these main-roads side-tracks
branch off to the interior parts of the sections appointed for felling.
In Northern Sweden with its snowy winters, only winter-roads or
sledge-roads are made.
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