The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-02-28
WALNUT WOOD SHIPPED ABROAD
Finest Pennsylvania Trees are Going
 to,Germany.

Finest Pennsylvania Trees are Going
 to,Germany.
 Agents for exporters of walnut tim Der have sought out almost every tree of that species growing in southeastern Pennsylvania, and are offering big prices for the privilege of cutting down the trees and shipping the wood to Germany. It is in great demand there for veneering purposes.
 In many instances the agents have made tempting offers for walnut trees that have shaded old mansions since the days of the Revolution. The Phila- delphia Record says. Sometimes the owners resist the temptation for months and cen years. Eventually the. amount of money offered Is increased still more, and shortly afterward the removal of the tree is chronicled.
 A few lovers of nature vehemently condemn the transaction as a piece of vandalism, but the wood choppers calmly continue their work for week or so, and then go on to the next vil- lage, where the agent has found anoth- CT victim,
 In some cases it is necessary for the agent to wait until the owners of the coveted trees die and then terms are made with their heirs.
 Thomas Seamehorn has been engaged in the business of shipping walnut tim- 'ber from Berl1s county for eight years, and is still able to find enough trees to keep his men busy. FrankeRoshong, of Zleglersville, buys and ships walnut timber from the upper part of Mont i gomery county
 For trees three to four feet in diame- ter at the base twenty-five to fifty dol lars is usually paid, its value depend l ing upon it's height and it's freedom from low limbs. Trees of that diame- ter are usually more than fifty years old.
 Sometimes a tree six or seven feet in ! diameter is discovered, and for this gi- ant, whose age is measured by centu- ries, the price exceeds one hundred dol lars, if the owner seems reluctant to come to terms
 The buyer takes only as much of the wood as can be converted into logs at least foot thick. The remainder re- ' verts to the seller, and usually supplies him with f1rewood for several years.
 The demand in Europe for American walnut is due to the fact that this wood to some extent is taking the place | of the fast decreasing supply of ma i hogany in the manufacture of furni- i ture When mahogany became too | scarce for general use a quarter of a century ago the veneering process was introduced, thin layers of the better wood being applied to foundation of less expensive material. In time the l supply of mahogany proved insufficient even for the demands of the veneerer, and the manufacturer was forced to l use other woods. As walnut, particu- larly the "black walnut" of America was capable of a high polish, it came into favor for furniture in Europe.
 To any one not familiar with the craft of the cabinet worker, the pro- cess of veneering is somewhat of a mysterious art Ordinarily, veneers are one-sixteenth of an inch thick, but ma chinery has been invented that produ- ces sheets of veneering as thin as wal paper When shaved from choice logs the sheets are frequently twelve feel by thirty inches wide. So thin are these sheets that from eighty an one hundred and seventy-five are required to make @ thickness of one inch. TC facilitate handling and to proven
 warping and splitting, the sheets art