Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-03-09
THE SUPPLY OF HICKORY.
Men Who Use Wood in Plenty Are
 Beginning to Worry.

Automobile and carriage manu- lecturers, along with the men of the allied vehicles industries, are giving very serious consideration to the question of the future supply of hickory timer. This wood, which is one of the most important of all woods, since no satisfactory substi- ute for it has been found, plays a more important part among the com mercial timbers than many people realize.
 For automobile and carriage wheels, where strength, toughness and resiliency 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 hickory spoke and for this reason the welfare of the vehicle industry seems dependent upon the conservatism of the hick- ory supply.
 Three of the largest associations of hickory users in the country, the National Wagon Manufacturers as- sociation of America, the Carriage Builders National association, and the National Hickory association have completed series of co-opera- tive tests with the United States for est service and the trade considers the results highly important. The tests covered a close study of the properties of different woods used in vehicles and implements, supple mented by mechanical tests to ascer- tain the relative strength of differ ent woods and different forms of I construction and to test the accura- cy of the present system of grading. In report of the tests made by H. B. Holroyd. forest assistant, and H. s. Betts, engineer in timber tests. of the forest service, the fact is brought | out that there is an error of over 50 per cent in the grading of vehicle stock, due largely to the prejudice of the manufacturers against the use of red hickory. It is shown that in clear stock. weight for weight, the red hickory is as strong as the white. | By bringing this fact to the atten- | ton of the manufacturers it is hoped that much of the hickory which was | formerly left as waste in the woods will be utilized by the trade and thus prolong the rapidly disappear ing supply of hickory.
 Such practical results as are given in the report, which a letter to the forest service at Washington will se- cure free for anyone who wishes it.. show conclusiyely the value of such studies in solving problems connect ed with the grading of stock, the utilization of new for old woods, and the conserving of our future supply of timber. The supply of good hick- ory in the United States Is known to be very limited. The cut last year | for lumber was a little less than ! 150 million feet, and 1t is estimated an even greater amount was used | for automobile and carriage wheels. | axle caps, gears. poles, single trees and neck yokes. and 1t is figured i that at the present rate of cutting i 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 eucalyptus and the crowfoot elm. both of Australia. Only time will tell whether these woods will prove satisfactory substitutes. In the meanwhile. American hickory users will be obliged to conserve the pres ent supply and take steps to guaran- tee a future supply by encouraging private planting of the tree. whose wood is becoming more precious each year.