The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-12-07
Government Will Furnish
Valuable Data From Tim
Der Testing Laboratory
SHIPMENT ALREADY ON HAND
Many Industries Depend on the Wood,
and the Supply is Now Run
ming Very Low.

Washington. Dec. 7.-Carriage MAX
ers and manufacturers of farm imple-
ments, as well as the men of a num-
Der of other industries which are con
cerned in the use of hickory will fol-
low with interest a series of tests
of this valuable wood about to begin
at the forest service timber testing
laboratory at Purdue university, at La
fayette. Ind.
The Importance of the tests lies in
the fact that they will furnish accurate
data on the relative strength on the
different kinds of hickory, which is
a wood for which no satisfactory sub
stitute has been found. The timber of
no other tree possesses the peculiar
properties which make hickory neces-
sary in the manufacture of parts OF
vehicle and farm implements.
The hardwood forests of the northern
section of the country are being rapid
ly denuded and it is therefore import
ant that accurate information regard
ing like species in other sections of the
country be obtained. The hickory of
the northern states has always been
considered of better quality than that
of the south and has been quite gen
orally given the preference by manu-
facturers and users of this species of
wood. Prejudices once established are
not readily removed and because of
this fact the forest service is pre-
! pairing to prove conclusively the rela-
| tive merits not only of hickory Of the
same species obtained in different sec
tions of the country. but also differ
ent species of hickory grown in the
same section. 1t is intended later to
extend the scope of this work to other
species of wood in the order of their
! Importance to the manufacturing In
terest of the country.
A shipment of southern hickory has
just been received at the Purdue tim
Der testing laboratory. This material
was collected by a representative Of
the forest service and accurate data
regarding species, growth. and local
ity were taken for each tree from
which the material was obtained.
other material of the same species, to
be selected, will be treated in like
manner and all will be tested for the
purpose of determining its strength,
stiffness. and suitability for the pur-
poses for which 1t is used. The
strength, stiffness, and other data OBJ
tained by these tests will make pos
sible direct comparison of the merits
of the wood as regards its species and
locality of growth.
A pinch in the hickory supply has
been felt for several years and it is
already seen that the growing of hick-
DRY must be encouraged either by ma
turaI growth or artificial planting, if
the permanence of a number of indus
tries is to be insured. The Importance
in this first series of tests by the
United States forest service lies in the
fact that they will determine just what
species of hickory are strongest, and
will give much valuable information
to owners of farm woodlots and others
who plant trees for profit. Not until
it is accurately determined just what
species produce the strongest timber
will it be possible to know just what
trees to plant. When the report or
tests is completed information on the
work will be gladly given to all who
, write to the forest service at Wash.
ington.