The Penn's Grove record., 1882-04-29
Interesting Lumber Statistics.
Timber growing and Logging Interests.
Tin Der in the West.

In 1SS0there were standing in Mich,
igan 35 COG, 0O0, 900 feet of timber. Dur
Ing the previous year nearly 4,500, COO.
600 feet were cut. In Wisconsin there
were d 900, 000, coo feet standing, and
the twelve months cutting amounted
to nearly 1900, 00O, 600 feet. At this
rate of destruction it cannot be many
| years before the supply in these two
States will be exhausted.
The coarser Varieties Of Timber.
in m of the timber growing States,
there is now wealth Of Ss7, 500, GOO in
growing pine timber, estimated at an
average value OF 81 so per thousand
feet for the standing tree. AS q vast
source of wealth to the State in which
it is growing, yet ~unhonored and most
lightly esteemed, even TO such an ex-
tent hat its wsnton obstruction passes
unnoticed, are to be found fully T000,-
600, 600 feet of hemlock, which, in the
near future, will be sought for at a
price scarcely below the present value
of the pine, for which it will be util.
lied as a most excellent substitute in
many Of tie Coaiser uses Of lumber.
This hemlock is to-day utilized only
in the production of bark for tanning
purposes, and il bears to the timber
wealth of the State only about the
same relation that the hordes of buffalo
up IN our Western plains bear to the
meat supply of our nation, as they are
slaughtered by the thousands and
stripped of their pelts for the use of
the civilized world, while the carcass
is left to the vulture, regardless of the
fact that q race Is being exterminated
which can again be propsgated.
The hemlock tree of the Northwest,
like the buffalo of the plains, possesses
q value, the extent of which will be
realized only after the process Of waste.
full determination has done its worst
and 10 more remains to be utilized.
The hemlock in one State, If placed at
a value which it will bear before the
expiration of five years from this date,
would bring to its owners not less than
$14, 900, 600; at the value which is
placed upon it to-day it Is worth not
lese than 81, 900, 900, and, in the en-
deavor to utilize the bark, the trunk
of the tree, which might also add to
the wealth of its owner, is left to rot
upon the ground or to feed the forest
fires which sweep aw ay SO much of our
wealth every year.
The Lumber Of the Future.
The increase of population causes
the denuding of land which may be
cultivated, and while it sugments the
demand for Luilding material it re-
duces the supply. A proper system of
a~rboriculture may to some extent
mitigate the Inconvenience of a vast
of timber, but it mas long been appa-
REM that other material must eventu-
ally be introduced to take the place of
wood. Scientific discoveries and
mechanical contrivances have brought
many things into use whose value was
formerly unknown. 1t has been
shown that the most durable car
wheels may be made of paper, and
any enc who has noticed the strong
and substantial articles which are
made of paper mache, will readily
perceive that light materials may be
converted into very dense substances.
A scientific contemporary declares
that In future years timber will be
made of straw, and the article below
gives the results of some experiments
which have been made 10 test its
value. 1t Is as follows:
"The lumber of the future is to be
made of straw. 1t is to compete with
that of the better class, as there seems
TO be no necessity of introducing knots
and shakes into the artificial material.
1t Is manufactured into any desired
lengths from II feet upward, and as
much as 80 inches In width. The cost
Is such as TO compete with better or
finishing grades OF pine, and the
locality of competition cannot vary
much, for straw is usually cheap where
lumber Is cheap. Some samples re-
Gently exhibited held a nail a. we'll as
wood, are susceptible of high finish,
and can be polished to any extent de-
sirable. 1t is waterproof, and therefore
must be durable as pine or oak, while
it is as well adapted for roofing pur
poses as for fine interior work. 1t is
susceptible of being worked by the
ordinary tools of the carpenter, and
nee fitted for its place it will not be
apt to shrink or swell. Samples re-
semble hard wood, about as dark IS
oak. but more dense in texture, with
a specific gravity Of one fifth more
than thoroughly seasoned black wal
nut. For finishing 1t will not be re-
quired to be as thick as ordinary lum-
Der, as It's tensile strength is about
double that Of wood. The future will
introduce a complete change in build
ing materials. These will include
paper for doors and window frames,
floors, mouldings and roofs, glass for
porches and pillars, cornices and walls
iron for beams, joints and r~afters, with
not a splinter OF wood In the whole
construction, which will be replaced
with straw lumber, IL needed
The Logging Interests.
Owing to the open winter the
logging interests of Minnesota and
Wisconsin are suffering greatly. At
Moose Lake camp one party, who
could get In 800. 900 logs IL ths re was
snow, does not expect to have 800, 600
feet another has 5000 600 feet cut but
is unable to handle it while a third,
after abandoning a section where it
expected to gather 1000 600 feet If the