The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1906-01-26
THR L0BLoLLy PINE.
an Interesting II port C~onoorning
Recent Tests.

recent Ve8t6.
The forest service department Of
agriculture has just rendered an IL:
.s,siesting REPORT oonssEninS tests re-
Gently made at q large saw mill near
Charleston, to determine the strength
OF loblolly pine. The company oper-
ating the mill has under its control
about as, 900 acres OF loblolly pine land
and 1t was through their Ell ,rts that
the department. has bean making the
tests mentioned.
Tais timber which Is known on the
local market as North Carolina pine.
forms the greater cart OF the lum
Der ort at this mill. The loblolly pine
forms a useful construction timber
Of moderate strength, 1t is of very
rapid growth and reproduces readily.
For these reasons 1t will remain one
Of tie most important timber trees
In the South. Correct data on its
strength will be of permanent value.
1t Is found much more convenient
to take the testing machine to the
mill instead Of bringing the large
sticks Of timber to the laboratory from
the mill. The condition to which the
stock OF timber Is SUI ,oted after be.
ing cut In the forest determine to som
degree how 1t will act when u IL
use where 1t will have tc carry a load
or bear q strain. 1t sometimes be
comes al important matter to know
the history OF the sticks tested. Th
logs from which 1T Ia desired to Gu
| thn foot ptooou oon hn oolrotoI L., th
I )rest, marked and subsequently, iden
titled at the leg pond. A concise his
tory of each log Is kept, showing th
location of the tree In the forest, til
kind of soil In which itgrew, the tim
or cutting, and the length OF the time
the ltg lies In the water. On arriving
at the mill, the log Is sawed any wa,
desired, and q then be tested short
ly after coming from the saw or lait
aside for the purpose Of air drying o.
kiln dry ing before testing. Il lery ste
cf inn Ortance In the life or the Lei
after cutting is thus known, and man,
pecularlties which arise In the be
haviOr OF sticks when tested can b.
explained.
The testing machine is set up in tn
mill and driven by the mill machinery
The sawyer In the mill saws exactl.
the kind Of sticks desired, and th
pieces intended for test are sent di
rectly to the testing maob!~e &.
The plan OF work at Charleston In
cluded Investigations to determine
the effect Of knots on the strength 0
the timber; the relative strength Q
air dried and kiln dried timber; til,
II CT Of rate Of growth upon tn,
sJiengtl the influence Of the IT lati v:
strength OF sap and heart wood, AM
the iDflu ence on the strength OF tn,
method OF saving.
Judging from the irQliri 8 receive
In the service, a widespread interes
Is manifested In this line of work, anC
without doubt many glestions ye,
undo c!ded will be def lLtly answered
on the completion cf the tests. Tn,
specifications FIR instance under
which engineers and architects re
ceivc j lists are very imperfect becault
no L knows the exact degree Of
weakening which arises from the
pres .nce OF kcots OF various sizes ant
kinds In the jDists Again there is q
common pr. ldice against sal
wood on acc unit OF the suppose weak
ness.
TIE experiments now going on are
most important and lntert sting to
lumber men and builders generally,
aud will be carried on yet for some
time.