Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1908-03-12

Hickory Supply Closely Watched.
Automobile and carriage -manufact-
urers, along with the men of the allied
vehicle industries, are giving very seri-
GUS consideration to the question of
the future supply of hickory timber.
This wood, which is one of the most
important of all woods, since no salts
factory substitute for it has beeu found,
plays more important part among
the commercial timbers than many
people realize.
| For automobile and carriage wheels,
where strength, toughness, and resil-
liency are essential qualities, no other
wood has been found in this country
that will take the place of hickory.
| Manufacturers say that no steel or wire
spoke has yet been found that will
withstand the wear and tear of the
hchory spoke and for this reason the
welfare Of the vehicle industry seems
| dependent upon the conservation of
the hickory supply.
hickory users in the country, the Ma
tional Wagon Manufacturers Associa-
ton of America, the Carriage Builders
Association, and National Hickory AS
sociation have completed a series of
cooperative tests with the United
States Forest Service aud the trade
| considers the results highly important.
The tests covered a close study of the
properties of different woods used in
vehicles and implements, supplement-
ed by mechanical tests to ascertain the
relative strength of different woods
and different forms of construction
and to test the accuracy of the present
system of grading.
In report of the tests made by H.
B. Holroyd, forest assistant, and II. S.
Belts, engineer in timber tests, of the
Forest Service, the fact is brought out
that there is an error of over so per
cent. in the grading of vehicle stock,
due largely to the prejudice of the
manufacturers against the use of red
stock, weight for weight, the red
hickory is as strong as the white. BY
bringing this fact to the attention of
the manufacturers, it is hoped that
much of the hickory which was form
erly left as waste in the woods will be
utilized by the trade and thus prolong
the rapidly disappearing supply of
hickory.
Such practical results as are given
in the report, which letter to the
Forest Service at Washington will Sc
cure for any one who wishes it, show
conclusively the value of such studies
in solving problems connected with
the grading of stock, the utilization of
new for old woods, and the conserving
of our future supply of timber. The
supply of good hickory in the United
States is known to be very limited.
The cut last year for lumber was little
less than $50 million feet, and it is esti-
mated an even greater amount was
used for automobile and carriage
wheels, axle caps, gears, axles, poles,
single trees and neck yokes and it is
figured that at the present rate of cut
ting the supply will last about Is years
Reports are made from time to time
of the discovery of suitable substitutes
for hickory in foreign countries. The
two woods which come nearest to hav-
ing the quality of the hickory seem to
be one of the eucalyptus and the crow
foot elm, both of Australia. Only time
will tell whether these woods will
prove satisfactory substitutes. In the
meanwhile, American hickory users
will be obliged to conserve the present
supply and take steps to guarantee
future supply by encouraging private
planting Of the tree, whose wood is be-
coming more precious each year.