The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-07-14
oun nrcxonY rr,arna. .


 In the current issue of "Arborcul- t=re." the editor contributss an inter- esting article on "rhe extinction of the American hickory" It i no news to be told that the hard woods of this country are rapidly disappearing be- fore the ruthless march of civilisa- tion. Aside from millions of trees an- nually cut and burned a nrewood comes the numerous uses to which our hard woods are put in all kinds of manufacturing. But there {s another cause of destruction that many read CTS do not appreciate or understand, and the article to ..whach we have al luded gives tisis illustration:
 About ten years ago I was in Virginia during the apple-gatherinS season. and saw a remarkable occurrence which ought to attract the attention of man
 Barrels were scarce in the yeeion. every cooper shop and avery cooper was working night and day to supply the demand for barrels, while men were securing the mountains for nick
 
 Nearly all of these barrels were then hoped with hickory poles. :.
 Commission men buying. apples sent ried nso the spps saa region in ysst %n bers.
 I saw an entire train of corty, car. arrive upon one occasion. which was entirely laden with hickory-hooped
 Three hundred and twenty barrels to each car, and ten hoops on every bar rel. Here at one time was seen 12.s0o rifced 64.o00 living hickory trees.
 This Is an illustration which will be readily understood by the country read CTS. at least, who have seen a cooper at work. The favorite material for barrel hoops is the young. straight hickory sapling from one to one and half inches in diameter. One of these poles. six or eight feet long. Is d. vided lengthwise and makes two hoops Each barrel or cask has from eight to ten hoops on 1t, so that for every ves- sel thus set up by the cooper four or i've young trees must be sacrificed in their youth.
 Of course other tough woods are used for hoops. and in these days iron hoops are largely used in the exten- sive barrel factories, but this is com paratively recent innovation. and does not apply to the thousands of small barrel makers throughout the country. AS the article from what we nave quoted shows. the young hickory sap lings are still the favorite for hoops, and while the illustration given above may be an unusual one. 1t js perhaps duplicated in many sections of the country at times.
 It is easy to see what this destruc- tion of the young trees means for the future These poles. which are cut and sold by the country people for trife. would in a few years, make a vigorous Ltree, and in the course of a generation. at most, the timber would be almost invaluable.
 It requires but little observation to show the extensive use of good hickory timber Where good wood can be ob- tained almost every part of carriage. wagon. buggy or other vehicle is made of it. Much other wood is used. but this is largely owing to the fact that good hickory cannot be obtained. The rims and spokes of the wheels, the shafts. axles and poles. as we'll as parts of the bodies of vehicles were formerly all made of hickory and would be now if it could be obtained. So of handles for axes and many other tools. In fact, there was a time when hickory was the favorite of all the hard woods where a fine and lasting material was wanted. It is no wonder that it is fast disappearing when we re- fleet on it's many uses and of the mill lions of trees destroyed in their viz orous infancy. We suppose there is no help for it, but 1t is a pity.