New tree puller increases yield 20%

Abstract

A new tree harvester that extracts both taproot and stem makes a pine tree 20 percent more useful. The machine shears the lateral roots close to the taprrot and then plucks the entire tree from the ground like a carrot. The concept was developed by Dr. Peter Koch at the U.S. Forest Service's Southern Forest Experiment Station in Pineville, La. The shearing apparatus is mounted on a John Deere 544 or Caterpillar 920 prime mover, which serves as a crane.

Citation

Kerr, E. 1977. New tree puller increases yield 20%. Popular Science 210(5):12