The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-10-27
BY PRODUCTS SAVING
WASTE IN LAUNDERING
Scientific Study by Government
How to Utilize Our Dwindling
Forests.
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INraEfl SDtSkd IL
WASHINGTON, D. c., October 20
Less than 90 per cent. of the average
tree as it stands in the woods comes
into the market in the form OF mer-
ichantable products, according to n
statistics of government experts. The
remainder is allowed to go to waste.
Some trees, supposed to he of little
value, lave been habitually neglected
altogether, and left in the woods to
fall and decay.
The OF this waste Dues
ton made little impression on lumber
men and the users of Lumbar until for
ests began to fail and prices reached
a point where building operations We're
Handicapped. Lumbermen have too
often gone into the richest forests of
the country and merely SKINNED the
cream" taking only choice parts OF
the trees. and wasting the remainder
Scarcity has now called Il halt, and
made 1t necessary to u the whole
| tree to its best use.
The Forest Service early realized
the need of turning to account what
was thrown away. and it began IN
yestigations with that end III view.
Because of lack of facilities in WASH
l%ington. laboratories were established in
lother cities, the location of Which
seemed to be most advantageous for
the particular study concerned. The
first of these was at New Haven, Conn.,
in the old chemical laboratory of the
lShcfield Scientific School OF Yale Uni
yersity. Experimental ana analytical
work was carried on, such as the
analyzing -ef preserved ttmbers, the
determination OF the quantity of tan
Ming material and %celiulose III va
Irious woods and bark, experiments to
discover the quantity OF material
leached out by allowing logs to stand
In water for varying periods, and
studies TO establish standards and
values OF commercial cr%eosotes.
Work progressed even with a limited
force, and shortly a laboratory was cs-
itablished In Boston TO investigate the
lyalue for pulp purposes of various
abundant woods. and To save the val
liable spruce and poplar. forests for
lumber. The results of this work were
most encouraging. a number OF wood
1bres We're shown TO be Naluabl raw
material for paper.
Some OF these were, SO far az color,
strength and various other Qualities
are concerned, better for certain pur-
poses than spruce.
The wood distillation industry was
also given careful study with most
satisfactory results. An expert made
an extended tour of investigation
through the South, aud furnished an
exhaustive report on the condition Of
the Industry OF that section. Later
governmental studies resulted III Il
method Of chemical examination which
not only demonstrates the relative
value OF turpentine obtained from the
pine tree by various methods, hut also
| shows that it Is possible by steam dis
L tillation processes to obtain from
refuse southern pine a. grade of,tur-
pantine equal for all practical purposes
to gum spirits, which is the product
4 OBTAINED by scarlfying the trunks OF
living trees. Circulars setting forth
the results in detail are now IN
preparation by the Forest Service,
mo Investigations oil the govern
mont to discover uses for waste ma
terial were from, tho nrst carried on
under something OF q disadvantage
because OF laboratories being Ill diff
ferent cities, Consolidation yof forces
and close c~o-operation We're almost
impossible. This Was rernedied last
JnIy by the transfer of headquarters
10 Washington. A building suited TO
The sperial requirements OF the work
Was erected, in which tho apparatus
previously used elsewhere has been
Installed, Here the tleld OF inquiry WI.
be axtanled 40 cover additional phases
OF tNe waste problem Us ~ directs the
timber supply. 4