The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1896-08-22
BICYCLE TIMBER.
VAST AMOUNT USED FOR THE
WHEELS WOOD RIM.
How 1t Is seIected-Thc Domestic
Supply Overwhelmingly Low-The
Eest yarieiies-New Moods
for the Trade.
HYHE constant destruction OF
cur forests has caused some
riage manufacturers for sew

CONSERVATION among xxx.
rage manufacturers for sew |
eral years, and the possible failure of
the supply Of timber suitable for their
purposes is increased, rather than di-
minished, by the marvellous growth OF
the bicycle trade. Probably Just as
many fine carriages are made to-day as
ever, and since the manufacturers OF
lightweight bicycles have adopted
the wood rim for the wheels, the de-
mand for good carriage timber has
been doubled. The WOOD rim OF a
wheel does not seem to require great
amount OF timber, but when it is re-
membered that overy piece must be
carefully selected, and that only the
finest specimens of certain varieties of
trees can be used in high grade bicy-
Giles, the consumption of timber be-
comes apparent.
Forest ash and white wood possess
the best qualities for fine carriage
work, while hickory, elm and birch
are used generally for special parts OF
the vehicle. Our forests OF ash. hick-
DRY and elm are comparatively small,
and they are diminishing every year,
although white wood is still quite
plentiful. But the supply OF this tim
Der for the carriage trade. cannot be
measured by the acre, for in one tract
of woodland probably not more than
dozen trees fit for this trade can be
found.
The forester who grows ash for the
carriage trade, or the lumberman who
harvests it. must necessarily be an ex.
| pert at his business, and he goes
through forests and upland woods to
select Individual trees as carefully as
a man would select horse. Gener-
ally the best forest ash trees are not
found in the open glades nor in extern
sive forests of these trees. They are
found in the best condition in woods
whers other varieties of trees abound,
scattered here and there where nature
planted them. The most important
test that the woodsman makes after he
takes in the whole tree with his eyes
is the so-called bark test. 1t is almost
impossible to explain this test, for it
is something that must be learned by
experience. By the general appear
ance of the outside bark, and many
| little signs underneath it, the expert
decides whether the tree is still grow
ing, or whether it has reached matu-
rity, and is on the decline. The car
rage trade requires trees that are
thoroughly matured. healthy, and Wig
orous.
All the choice timber of the carriage
and bicycle trade has to be selected
when the trees are growing, for when
they are cut UP into logs it is impossi
BILE to determine the period of growth
at the time of cutting. The sap dries
out in a month after being cut down,
and the trees may have been too young
for good carriage timber. In oui
Northern States the experts generally
60 into the woods in August, but in
the Southern States a few weeks later.
The trees selected are marked by chip
ping off the bark at certain places
From November to January they are
cut, the markers going into the woods
again to identity their marks.
} The best manufacturers of bicy cleI
J select their timber in the same way
The wood rims OF bicycle require
lust as much strength, residence an(
toughness as the spoke and hubs of I
carriage. The best forest ash probabl.
makes the most satisfactory rims, ant
close-grained hickory, properl.
. cured and bent, gives about equal.
good results. The coarse-grainee
, hickory is heavier than the fine grained
, but when put to the test the lightel
i wood sustains from ten to fifteen pc
} cent. greater weight without breaking
{ Saving, seasoning and testing tn
wood for bicycle rims and carriag
) spokes, hubs and braces are all scien
} tifcally pursued. but they all fail t.
secure proper timber If in the begin
> ming the trees are not properly sc
, lected.
, Without any of the preconceive
notions of the carriage builders
: guide their experiments in q mario
s channel, the makers of high-grade b
9 cycles have made wood rims OF gres
8 variety of woods. They had no e.
! perience dating back century
: teach them which varieties were tn
t best suited for their purpose. All the
8 could depend upon was scientific test
in respect to frmness, elasticity an
;, durability. When the wood rims tr
: came into use the best firms would M
y guarantee them even for a yea
a Many of them went to pieces inside
s three months, and the success OF Il
y new experiment promised to be fulfil
Q The final introduction OF the woo
L rims was made only after series
J, tests and experiments which convince
q the manufacturers that they woul
" last. The life of good wood rim
lust as long as of any other part OF Il
wheel. There are rims, howeye
made out OF cheap woods. poorly Sc
soned woods, and those that ha
n flaws in them, that will not last We
|. long. In addition to strength, firl
IS ness of grain and elasticity, the man
r sacturers of bicycle rims require wo
o that will resist the wearing effects
70 metal. The steel spokes enlarge t
'e holes in the wood rims, and soon ma
!. the machine rattle. Locust is one
/. A. basr woods 70 resist the wear