The Washington herald., 1908-08-30
MIGHT REPLACE OAK
Forestry Experiments with
New Zealand Woods.
SEVEN KINDS STAND TEST
Four Varieties show Greater Re-
sistaace Than Best of Native Hard
wOOds-Three Are InferiOr-Tr.al
VIII Be Made of Growing Them
On National Reserves.

Far-oH New Zealand IS the country 10
which forest experts have turned. seek
ing substitutes for the valuable American
woods used by the furniture. cooperage.
implement. and similar wOOd-usiug indus
tries
Manufacturers IN this country have
been facing a constantly decreasing sup
ply Of available hardwood timber for
number o. years and the time is at hand
when efforts must be made looking 10 the
preservation Of the American species
most IN demand and TO scour foreign
lands for trees which may prove valuable
as substitutes
Seven different New Zealand hardwood
trees have been put through a series ot
tests by the United States Forest Service.
n cooperation with the University %
California. in the timber testing labora-
tory az Berkeley The trees showed up
remarkably well in comparison with
white oak. which is one Of the strongest
woods in the United states. developing
under test when in an air dry condition
q crushing strength OF S.50o pounds TO the
square inch and a bending strength OF
LILO pounds 10 the square inch.
-Four woods Excel Oak.
-Four Of the seven New Zealand woods
tested developed a bending strength even
greater than white oak, and three OF the
woods showed a greater crushing
strength The New Zealand woods found
to have a bending strength as higa OF
higher than oak were the black rnaire.
natal. puriri. and silver pine. While the
first three Of these have IN addition de-
veloped d greater crushing strength than
oak
An idea OF the true strength OF these
woods is given in the technical report
which shows that with white oak az Le0
/ tho conapressivs OF crushing strength OF
I the New Zealand woods is as follows
Black maiTe, lis; natal Les. and puriTi.
tI21 The woods which developed an
equal OF greater bending strength are as
I follows Natal II. silver pine. 100:
puriri. IA. and black MARE. L56. The
/ last figure shows that this wood has more
I than one and ons-hsIf times the bending
/ strength OF oak
/ Some Woods Weaker.
The woods tested which fell below ths
I strength Of oak lOD were rimu. -5s f0E
/ compression OF crushing strength. and
Sc for bending; kauri. 20 for compression
and "a for bending. and totara, s. for
/ compression and 20 for bending The
showing even for the last three woods s
not bad when Il Is considered that the
I compression is made with clear straight
/ grained white oak
These strength tests OF seven Of Kew
] ZeaIand-s most valuable tim5srs nay
prove Of great benefit 10 American manu-
featuring interests, Il experiment shows
THAT the woods can be introduced into
nd -.1a~~aE a
success as the eucalyptus OF New Zealand
and Australia. or # Il is found that the
Islands have enough OF the various spe-
ciss 70 import q little 10 this country.
Cannot Depend on Imports.
The United States VIII not be able Il
iepend on imports 10 any great extent,
Tor wood users realize that there is an
approaching shortage CT timber n other
countries as well as this. and each IA.
ton must cultivate and protect its OWL
forests. II is therefore, likely that plant
ing experiments viii be made with many
OF the valuable foreign woods. IN vie~
Of the success made with the eucalypt.!
in California
American hard woods are n a constants
ly decreasing supply. and # foreign Tree.
are found 70 meet the same uses 70 which
white oak and hickory are pat il VII
afford al opportunity TO reple1ish tbs
native supply By weI-directed planting
The hardwoods practically all STOW IN tEt
Eastern and Central Western States
where there are no national forests, al
though g plan has been proposed nun
Der OF times for their establishment il
the White Mountains OF New England ani
the AppalachIans il the South. For III
present the protection and conservation
Of the country's hardwood resources Ce
pend G9osl individuals and corporation
D which own iGs Iand-