Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1908-03-11
HICKORY SUPPLY WATCHED.

Automobile and carriage manufac-
turers along with the men of the
allied vehicle industries, are giving
very serious consideration TO the
question of the future supply of hick-
DRY lumber. This wood. which is
one of the most important of any of
all woods, since not satisfactory sub
stitute for il has been found. PLAYS a
more important part among the COM
mercial timDers than many people
realize
For automobile aud carriage wheels.
where strength. toughness and resil-
iency 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 vehicle industry seems dependent
upon the conservation of the hickory
supply.
Three of the largest associations of
hickory users in the country, the Nat
ional Wagon Manufacturers Association
of America, the Carriage Builders
National Association, and the National
Hickory Association have completed
series of cooperative tests with
the United States Forest Service and
the trade considers the results highly
important. The tests covered close
study of the properties of different
woods used in vehicles and implements
supplemented 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
II. 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 10 percent in the grading of
vehicle stock, due largely to the pre-
JUDGE OF the Misunderstanding inst the
use of red hickory. 1t Is shown that
in clear stock. weight for weight, the
red hickory is as strong as the white.
BY bringing this fact of the attention
of the manufacturers, ii is hoped that
much Of the hickory which was form
erly left as waste in the woods will he
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
secure free for anyone who wishes
it, show conclusively the value of
such strides in solving problems con-
nected with the grading of stock the
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 tor
lumber was little less than $50
million feet and it is estimated an
even greater amount was nsed for
automobile and carriage wheels, axle
caps, gears, axle. poles single trees
and neck yOkes, and it is figured that
at the present rate of cutting the
supply will last about 10 years. Re
ports 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 eucralyptus and the
crowfoot elm, both of Australia
Only time will tell whether these
woods will prove satisfactory sub
stitutes In the meanwhile. American
hickory users will be obliged to con.
serve the present supply and take steps
to guarantee future supply by en-
couraging private planting of the tree,
whose wood is becoming more prec-
ious each year.