The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-06-06
PINE NAY Be SAVED
Some information and Suggestions
That May Mean Much in
Black Hills.

Inat may Mean Mucn In
Black Hills.
Hermann Won Schrenk, Government
Expert Gives Results Of His
Investigations.
Much valuable pine timber may be saved
in the Black Hills Of South Dakota II the
federal and state authorities adopt the
measure lately recommended by the Unit
ed States department of agriculture.
These measures are contained in a do
partment bulletin entitled 1.-THE BluinG
and the Red Rot Of the Western Yellow
Pine with Special Reference to the Black
Hills Forest Reserve. The author is DR..
Hermann Won Schrenk special agent Of
the bureau Of plant industry
AT the present time an immense amount
of dead and dying timber may be found in
the Black Hills forest reserve. The GUAM
tity of such timber, tho variously estinat-
ed. will probably approach 100000, 900 feet.
Much Of the pine is actually decayed,
and is worthless. Part Of it. discolored
by the so-called "bluing,' has also been
| considered Of no value. But Dr. Schrenk
declares that this blue timber may be
used for many purposes. He also points
out methods by which the dead and dying
| trees may be removed In order to protect
from fire and decay the large body Of pine
| that still is sound.
The 'bluing,' first Of the abnormal con
ditions investigated, means blue colora-
| ton Of all the sapwood in the pine. 1t is
a phenomenon brought about indirectly by
| the attack of a wood beetle. Yet the
pine would soon decay even in the absence
of the coloring fungi. After the tree has
been killed by the beetle and discolored by
the first fungi, fungi of another sort ap-
pear that brings about "red rot" All the
three are readily communicated to sound
| trees.
Denroctonus Ponderosae.
The insect that causes all this worry
for the bull pine (pinus ponderosa) is
known tosevery household as the denroc-
tonus ponderosae, or pine bark beetle.
The beetle enters the bark Of healthy trees
in July. August or September Assuming
that beetle had penetrated a given tree
in July, 1899, the leaves Of the tree would
turn yellow in May 1900. At this stage
such tree is known in Dakota as a
''sorreltop." In October Of the same
year the leaves would all be red and the
| lower leaves would begin to fall off; the
tree would be called locally "red top
In May, 1901, the pine would be distin-
| ulSll0u DIS d -DlaCK TOP NlOSI Ol the
leaves would then have disappeared The
"red rot would be starting around the
top Of the afflicted pine. In October OF
the same year nearly all the leaves would
have fallen, the top Of tree would be seri-
ously decayed, and, in many cases, broken
off. Thus the bull pine begins to decay
about two years after it has been attacked
by pine bark beetles.
After these beetles have made holes in
the bark of the tree spore Of the blue
| observation-disclosures fc. pilifera, as they
call it in the Black IIills-are blown about
by the wind. The spore grow rapidly and
soon spread thruout the tree Two
months after the fungus has made itself
at home, the wood turns blue in the low
er part Of the trunk. When five months
! have elapsed the fungus has discolored the
lower part Of the tree as far as the heart
wood, and has partly affected the upper
part Within ten months from the COM
ing Of the Beetles ALL the wood is blue,
except the heart Is
It is also a matter worthy. Of thought
that the; original brand Of beetle is as
sisted by a relative whose personalit lis
even more attractive. The relative, arriv-
ing soon after the first beetle had killed the
bark, excavates subways for the con
venience of the fungoid boys in blue. Y
The exactftint of this curious blue pine
is difficult to describes Artists i have
called the color ga blue gray approach
ing Payne's gray The freshly cut
wood looks decidedly blue but when dry
the wood becomes mouse gray. atIt Is by
no means regular discoloratien; here and
; there shine thru the yellow of the healthy
, wood Whether the fungus itself Isl blue
or whether the wood is stained blue by the
fungus or by a result of the fungus growth
is a delicate Question as to which Dr. vor
Schrenk has not yet made up his mind.
8 Strength of Blue Timber.
Wherever this blue timber is found, il
is considered much inferior in strength
and durability to pine Of normal color
| Yet elaborate tests made at Washington
university, st. Louis, have demonstrated
scientifically that blue timber is really
stronger than green pine. The sample
blocks were compressed 'endwise and brok.
en- crossWise., The superiority of blue
pine is specially marked when the timber
!. is two years old, that is, when it is JUS
y about to be attacked by the 'red rot.
! At that stage blue pine is seasoned
i posed to every wind All sap has disap
: peared, all water has found ample egres
:, thru the thousands of beetle holes will
: which the bark has been perforated
Therefore" says DR.. Won schrenk
where wood is used, as it unfortunatel,
is in these days. almost Immediately afte
it is cut from the forest, blue pine i
certainly as strong as green wood an,
s ought not to be. Disseminated agafns
because of any. supposed weakness
AS to its durability, the blue pine, whe
sawed and split for cord wood, will kee
:, as well as green pine. If the blue pin
n is dry, it will probably last a long time
I especially when piled so as to allow al
:, to circulate between the separate piece.
I The tendency to rapid decay may be pre-
e vented by treating the blue wood wit
b some preservative. The effectiveness Il
s zinc chloride in thus preserving blue pin
t is now being tested on certain ties tha
e have been laid along the Santa Fe raj
e way. Other ties so treated will be teste
y on a Mexican railway under tropical cor
$ ditions that have quickly destroyed here
It tofore the most resistant timber
8 The amount Of timber cut for ties
It the Black Hills forest reserve has bee
very small Most of the pine has bee
e taken by the mining companies; whic
= are dependent upon the local supply fl
t. mine props, Tagging and fuel. Only
small part of the dead but sound timbl
can be used in the Black Eills-perhaI
rs, 900 900 feet altogether-and. owing
the absence Of railroad connections, pras
= tically none Of the available timber ca
be taken to other parts Of South Dakot
Yet the forest preserve law prohibits I'll
"a shipping of any reserve timber to anoth,
y state.
ID Some Recommendations.
! In view Of the foregoing facts, Dr. We