The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1908-01-03
WOOD FOR PAPER
COSTS 26 MILLIONS.


To-day there is general complaint
among publishers that printing paper is
constantly growing dearer. In the
v 1Mi1aaie West many local papers are
raising their subscription price 30 per
cent. in order to pay for tae paper.
From the time when Gutenberg first
used movable type, made Of wood, to the
present day of metropolitan papers,
some OF which consume the product Of
acres Of spruce in single edition,
printing has in very large degree de-
pended upon the forest.
In the face of threatened shortage
OF timber, the amount Of wood con-
snyaed each year for pulp has increased
since 1899 from 2 million to 81 million
cords. The year 1906 marked an in
crease Of $4,000 cords in the imports Of
pulpwood, the highest average value
per cord for all kinds, and consump-
tion greater by 460,053 cords than that
Of any previous year.
Spruce, the wood from which in 1899
three-fourths of the pulp was manu-
factured, is still the leading wood, but
1t now produces little less than 70
per cent. of the total. How well spruce
is suited to the manufacture Of pulp is
shown by the fact that during a period
in which the total quantity Of wood
used has doubled and many new woods
have been introduced, the proportion OF
spruce pulpwood has remained nearly
constant in spite Of the drains upon the
spruce forests for other pqrpnses. !
During this time thrse different woods,
fro1 widely sepaSted regions, have in
turn held the rank Of leader in the
lumber supply.
Since 1899 poplar, which for years was
used in connection with spruce to the
exclusion of all other paper woods, has
increased in total quantity less than
100000 cords, and is now outranked by
hemlock. Pine, balsam, and cottonwood
are used in much smaller amounts.
New York alone consumes each year
over million and quarter cords OF
wood in the manufacture of pulp, or
more than twice as much as Maine,
which ranks next. Wisconsin, New
Hampshire, Pennsylvania. and Michigan
follow in the order given. Sixty per
cent. Of the wood used In Nev v York
was imported from elsewhere, and even
so the supply appears to be waning,
since the total consumption for the
State shows small decrease since
1905, whereas the other States named
have all increased their consumption.
Other States important in the produc-
tion Of pulp are: Massachusetts, Min
,nesota, Ohio, Oregon, Vermont, Virginia
and West Virginia.
The average cost Of pulp delivered at
the mill was 1921. The total value OF
the wood consumed in 1906 was $780,
100000. The chief item determining
the price of paper is the cost Of pnlp.
An example Of the increased price OF
paper Is found In the case Of publisher
Of daily in the Middle West, who re-
Gently paid $1,000 for a carload of
paper. The same quantity and grade
Of paper cost year ago but $500.
The chemical processes II paper
making, which better preserve the
wood fiber, are gaining over mechanical
process. In 1900, 65 per cent. Of the
wood was reduced by the mechanical
process; in 1905, less than 80 per cent.
All importations Of wood for pulp axe
from Canada, and comprised, in 19oe,
10000 cords, nearly all of which wals
spruce. Four and half million dollars
worth Of pulp was imported in 1905,
slight falling off from 1905. \
Circular 100 Of the Forest Service
contains q discussion Of the consump-
tsou Of pulpwood in 1906. based on sta
tistics gathered by the Bureau OF the
Census and the Forest Service. Tho
pamphlet can be had upon application
to the Forester, United States Depart
ment Of Agriculture, Washington, D. c.