Evening journal., 1910-05-06
LUMBER WASTE
IS APPALLING
Two Thirds Of What Was in a
Tree is Lost on Way to
Consumer

The L. $. Department of Agriculture in
connection with a study OF the wood-using
industries Of various States is learning
what part Of the rough lumber output Of
our American sawmiils passes through a
second process OF manufacture before Il
is ready for the consumer. The study is
regarded as having an important bearing
en- the extent 10 which more economical
use OF our forest resources can be brought
about SO far. the results obtained show
that more than nve-eighths Of the rough
lumber sawed is to be counted as the raw
material for other industries which con-
vert IL into a more highly finished and
more valuable product.
In the United States waste in the woods
the mill. and the factory is so great that
two-thirds Of what was ia the tree is lost
on the way 70 the consumer. The heaviest
part Of this loss takes place in the saw
mills. Much of this mill waste is unavoid-
able under present conditions, but the
greater the demand Tor the product and
the higher It's value. tho better will econ
omy pay Waste In manufacture IS very
small compared with that az the sawmln.
Study OF the demands OF the wood-using
industries may be a means Of Ending out
how the mill may prontably market
part Of what now goes to the burner in
sawdust, slab, and trimmings
Statistics Of the wood-using industries
OF Massachusetts. Maryland. North Caro-
lima, and Wisconsin. lately gathered by
the Department OF Agriculture in cooper
alton with these States show that of their
total sawmll output 36 per cent. Is used in
the form of rough lumber and "a per
cent IS manufactured into other forms Of
output. II the same ratio holds for the en-
tire country as for these states, about i3
billion feet of lumber IS used yearly i'm
rough form and % IL billion feef is fur
thor manufactured.
Detailed Figures Obtained.
This Is the first time that detailed fig
ures have been obtained on this subject
Tile study which has yielded these figures
has also in view to ascertain what COM
modities arc made wholly or partly Of
wood. the various kinds Of wood used.
their origin and their cost as we'll as
other data of value 60 The growers of tim
her and to the sellers and buyers of lum.
bor
In making up the figures. lumber used
rs nIiukc illnpclr, houtc frames, farm
fences. trestles. board walks, walls and
similar classes of structures. with only
such cutting and fitting as Is given IL by
carpenters was classcd as ro6gh lumber.
that made into noorng. finish. siding
sash, doors frames, pancs. stairs. boats
vehicles boxes baskets turnery wooden
ware. co-opcage musical instruments,
farm Implements. furniture. spools, lam
dies, and like forms was placed the
class OF finished lumber
The present aggregate popula' len OF the
four States IS estimated hy tor rcspec-
tive State officials 10 be 0I65 ji5; tho popu-
laiton Of the United STATS Ia round ng-
ures is e,oooOo0 accordlg 70 recent esu-
mates. The average humber cut in the four
States FOR 1907 and .9oS-the one an active
the othora du1 year-was 8 S75s.2a2 900 feet.
and for the United States Il was So 740.-
$4,000. Calculated on this basis. the per-
capita use OF sawn lumber IN tho four
States was 40 feet ana IN the United
states ioS feet. The per capita use in tho
four States ,of lumber further manufact-
ured was 263 feet These figures Indicate
lavish use OF lumber in tho United
States FOR our per capita consumption is
from three 10 ten times that Of the lead
ing nations of Europe.