The Work Study Section of the Forestry Commission has now (1963) been working on production operations for six years and this is a record of sound working methods observed during this period. The credit for developing these methods is due to Forest Workers and Foresters in various parts of the country and the authors have selected for description those methods that give maximum output with minimum effort and are basically safe. It is hoped that it will serve as a handbook for the Forester or Head Woodman who is about to commence first thinnings in a young forest and is faced with the problem of introducing sound methods to a labour force inexperienced in this work; figures showing the output that can be achieved by the average man are included.