Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-07-10
Concerning Pulp Wood.

A little pamphlet on forest products
issued by the department of commerce
and labor under date of June 26 and
entitled pulp Wood Consumption"
contains a great deal OF valuable in
| formation concerning the pulp wood in
dustry. 1t states that the total con-
sumption of pulp wood in 1905 by PSI
mills was 3,34G,953 cords, 615,7O7 or 15.5
per cent less than last year, and 314,-
223 cords or sc per cent less than in
1906. Commenting upon this the report
| other forest products in 1908. the falling
off in pulp wood consumption was chief
ly due to the uncertain business con-
dtions. This was only a temporary
| check, however, and with the return
of better times an even larger use of
pulp wood than in the past can be
expected
With this prospective increase in the
use of pulp wood in mind. it is inter-
eStiliS " lolloW through tHe report
and note the different kinds of substi-
tutes suggested for spruce. hemlock
and popular. A little more pine and
balsam were used for pulp in 1908 than
in the years before and less cottonwood.
Pine. however, furnished about rs per
cent of the total quantity of pulp wood
consumed. Under the head of miscel-
laneous, which furnished Az per cent
of the total amount, are listed chest
nut, white fur. Eastwood, maple, red
fir, gum, hemlock, willow, buckeye,
birch and cedar. Few people, even
those somewhat familiar with the pulp
industry. realized that these woods
formed any appreciate percentage of
pulp manufacture.
The New England states used 346
per cent of the total amount of pulp
wood in 1907, but in 1908 New England
used but 232 per cent, falling off of
349,6S7 cords. The average value per
cord at the mill of the wood used in
1908 was $685. q cents more than in
1907 and $1.17 more than in 1906 The
total quantity of pulp produced in 1908
was 2.11S,9E tons. 1863 per cent less than
in 1907, practically the same per cent
age of decrease as for pulp wood con-
sumed. This would indicate no change
in the relation of raw material to the
product as regards quantity
The manufacturers have constantly
sought a cheaper raw material and
this has brought about an increased
use of sawmill waste instead of cord
wood and large-sized timber Last
year 100000 cords of slab wood and mill
waste were used, at an average cost
of $4.26 per cord, about half the aver
age cost of cord wood pulp stock. The
bulk of mill waste was slab wood OBJ
tanned from sawmills, says the report,
though small quantities of sawdust,
shavings, etc, were also reported.
Spruce and hemlock supplied most of
this material, while the remainder was
chiefly pine. There is undoubtedly a
large field for the development of
methods which will profitably utilize
mill maste in the production of pulp,
and as the price of timber increases
much progress may be expected in this
direction.
In New England the woods used out
side Of the comon stock such as spruce
and popular cost but s1.54 per cord
The low cost is ascrbed to the fact
that in New England the material used
was largely sawdust at a very low
value. This indicates that New Eng
land is rather ahead of it's neighbors
in the pulp industry in the hunt for a
low-priced stock for pulp. New Eng