Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1908-01-16

facturers OF matches who wanted
home supply. At the same time IL
Russian manufacturers of matcht
asked their government to take mea
ures to check the export of mate
wood to foreign countries, because til
material was needed at home
In the United States, as well as j
Canada, diligent search for choiC
forests is maintained, and large tract
have been bought by companies in Il
match business, not only to meet pre-
ent demands, but to provide for yea
TO come. In a single year one mate
company cut 225,000,000 board feet
pine in the Lake region. The Gu
however, in that instance was excel
tionally large in order to save the tin
Der which was at that time threa
ened by the ravages Of a bark beetls
There are more than $50 match man
facturers in the United States. al.
about half that number in Canada
Matches are manufactured in man
ways and with numerous kinds of nj
chimes, and for that reason a deserts
ton of an operation in one factor,
would not apply to another. Nearl.
every manufacturing company has ma
Chinery made specially for it's use ano
covered by patents, and it also en-.
ploys processes discovered or devised
by its own chemists and mechanics
and kept secret to prevent rivals frou
Obi fol nj
Some time ago an American con
pany sold the right to use it's specia
machines in France, obtaining $100,00C
in cash and an equal sum yearly a.
royalty. This shows how much de.
ponds on the machines, and how much
"a match manufacturer will pay to ge!
the best. Only by using the best thai
is obtainable is competition possible
A single machine has been known to
turn out 1885, 400 matches in one
day-boxed and labeled ready fol
shipment.
Some matches are shaved with the
grain from sawed blocks, some are cut
both ways by saws. In some factories
the block are boiled to make them cut
easily. By some machines a boiled OF
steamed log is reVolved on its own
axis and a shaying-the thickness of
a match-is cut round and round.
This shaving is at the same time cut
into lengths and split into match
sticks. There is hardly limit to the
varieties of methods employed.
Round matches are made by forcing
them through dies. The Japanese
make paper matches, which are wood
after ali.
In common with other industries of
the United States depending upon ex-
listing forests, the match-makers are
within sight Of a shortage in the wood
supply. When present timber hold
ings have been depleted, they cannot
be duplicated. If forced to economic,
the people of this country might get
along with fewer than IS or 80 matches
a day each as at present, but they
will probably insist on having them
and will demand, as in Germany and
France, that foresters plant and grow
timber especially for matches. This
could readily be done if forests were
placed under the management and
were no longer left to run wild, and
produce cordWood and brush when
they ought to grow merchantable tim
Der. Conservative management of
timber lands is assured for only one
fifth OF this cOuntTy's forested areas,
the part contained in the national for
ests and under the administration Of
the United States forest service. By
cutting only the mature trees and pro-
tecting the new growth by keeping
out fires, the national forests will be
made to yield indefinitely. 1t cannot
be expected that this small part of the
nations forest will supply the demand
for future generations and the one
hope in sight is that users of wood,
including the match manufacturers,
will insure the permanence of their
business by applying the principles of
forestry in the management Of timber
lands