The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-11-10
TO STUDY TIMBER CONSERVATION
To Insure Development Of the Lumber
Industry

The future development of the lumber
industry in this country lies in the diree.
ton OF closer utilization OF forest
products Both ioresters and practical
lumbermcn now agree on this point.
just what can be done in this field Is
well illustrated in the operations at the
mill of the Great Southern Lumber com
pany, which has Just reopened its plant
at Begalusa, Louisiana, in response to
.hv increased demand for lumber after
the recent slump in business. This IL
perhaps tho largest sawmill in the Unit.
I'd States il not in the world, and is
capable OF turning out the enormous
amount of 100000 feet of sawn lumber
board measure per day, A reader can
get fair idea Of this quantity of lum.
Der when he ia told that its output Is
enough to build a little town OF 80
houses, along with good sized church
and schoolhouse, every day.
This company was quick TO grasp the
significance OF the rapid depletion Of
timber resources Last year II began a
cooperative investigation in wood utih.
zation with the United States Forest
Service and arrangements have just been
completed for a renewal OF the eypen-
ments. The work will be along practical
lines and will be aimed 70 secure closer
utilization Of the products Of the south
ern lumber mills and az the same time
produce a margin OF profit in excess Of
that obtained by the methods which are
now practiced.
The field for work along this line Is
Il q oil haH q he
Tor grades OF lumber are obtained from
old mature trees, provided they are not
weakened by decay or other influences.
In other words, thousand feet board
measure Of lumber sawed from a tree
two feet in diameter. costs less and is
worth more than a thousand feet sawed
from tree only eight inches in diameter.
Moreover, timber cIit from young trees
usually contains large amount Of sap.
wood. If ties, poles, etc, are cut from
such material, they will decay more
rapidly than ii cut from heartwood. II
is not good business policy, however, in
great many cases to saw the most
valuable timber into commodities which
are relatively low in cost such as ties
and poles. II is the intention. therefore,
u Tue fbupdHN " NllA bht JAHb NHab
size and classes OF timber can be best
utilized for the cheaper commodities
when given a preservative treatment
To this end a careful study will be
made to ascertain the amount and value
of the products sawed from trees Of
different sizes and Just how each can be
best utilized so as to secure greatest
economy and profit For example, can
a tree eight inches in diameter be best
utilized for ties or for flooring, and how
win the profits compare ii treated with
those sold uutreated7 II seems reason.
able TO suppose that the profits derived
from the sale Of treated timber will ex-
coed those from untreated timber.
Moreover, the greater use Of chemically
preserved wood will undoubtedly result
in that wood giving greater life in
service. Hence, the amount of timber
cut annually in the United States, sim
ply to replace that which has decayed,
will be materially decreased. and fur
Their conservation of forest resources will |
result Recent estimates by the Forest
Service place this reduction at 10 per
cent OF the total timber cut The prac-
teal benefits OF these experiments and
of the investigations for the utilization
of saw-mill waste are at once apparent.