Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1908-03-13
Hickory Supply Closely Watched

; Automobile and carriage manu-
facturers, along with the men of
tie allied vehicle industries, are
giving very serious consideration
to the question Of the future sup.
|ply Of hickory timber. This wood,
which is one Of the most important
of all woods, since no satisfactory
substitute for it has been found,
plays more important part among
the commercial timbers than many
people realize.
| For automobile and carriage
wheels, where strength, tougness
and resiliency are essential quail
ties, 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 hickory
spoke, and for this reason the well
fare of the vehicle industry seems
dependent upon the conservation
of the hickory supply.
Three Of the largest associations
Of hickory users in the country,
The National Wagon Mauufactur.
ers Association of America, the
Carriage Builders National Associ-
alton, and the National Hickory
| Association have completed series
Of cooperative tests with theUnited
States Forest Service, and the trade
considers the results highly impor-
tant. The tests covered a close
study of the properties of different
woods used in vehicles and imple-
ments, supplemented by mechanic
al 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 a report of the tests made BY
II. B. Holroyd, forest assistant, and
H. 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 large
ly to the prejudice of the manufac.
turers against the use Of red hick-
ory. 1t is shown that in clear
stock, weight for weight, .he- red
hickory is as strong as the white.
By bringing this fact to the atten'
tiou of the manufacturers. it Is
hoped that much Of the hickory
which was formerly left as waste
| in the woods will be utilized 10y the
trade and thus prolong the rapidly
disappearing supply Of hickory.
| Such practical results as are CIV
en- in the report, which a letter to
the Forest Service at Washington
will secure free for any one who
wishes it, show conclusiyely the
value of such studies in solving
problems connected with the grad
| ing 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 80
million feet, and it is estimated an
even greater amount was used for
automobile and carriage wheels,
axle caps, gears, axles, poles, single
trees and neck yokes, and it is fig
ured that at the present rate OF
cutting 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 having the quality
of the hickory seem to be one OF
. the eucalvtus and the crowfoot elm
:, both of Australia. Only time will
tell whether these woods will prove
satisfactory substitutes. In the
meantime. American hickory users
will be obliged to conserve the
. i present supply and take steps tt
> 6 uarantee future supply by en-
! couraging private planting of tn
tree, whose wood is becoming more
nroo;oua oach wear