The latest new way to saw down trees and get them to fall exactly where you want them is an 18 oz. fabric cushion that slips into the saw cut and inflates with more than three tons of lift.

Two chain saw manufacturers are currently offering the cushion on their chain saws. Jonsereds and Husgvarna, both Swedish chainsaw manufacturers, say the cushion is designed to replace felling bars and wedges used in falling trees -- which is one of the riskiest jobs connected with cutting wood, they point out. With the cushion, you can knock trees over by pressing a knob.

Deflated, the bag is about 114 in. thick -- thin enough to slip into a saw cut -- and is inflated by air pressure from the saw's cylinder. It pushes each side of the cut apart up to 4 in. until the tree falls. The bag is made from rubber and nylon mesh, and is equipped with a quick-disconnect fitting.

The cushion is filled and emptied by pressing a control valve fitted to the chain saw. It's easily carried in a pocket and quickly connected when needed.

The cushion is available only as a factory-built option on specific Husgvarna and Jonsered chain saws. At present, it's just being introduced into the U.S. One of Jonsered's distributors -- Tilton Equipment, of St. Paul, Minn. -- told FARM SHOW that they want to see the product tested more extensively before deciding whether or not to market it.