The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-04-28
MONEY IN WOODLOTS.
Massachusetts State Forester Gives
Facts on Cost of Woods.

Prof. F.. W. Rane. Massachusetts
State Forester, working in conjunction
with the United States forest service,
has recently issued a pamphlet con-
tanning information of value to wood
lot owners who wish to find the best
market for their product or conserve
their trees for future profitable sale.
1t gives prices paid for the various
kinds OF woods used in manufactures
in the State Its information shows
a healthy market. ready to take every
kind of wood raised in the State at
price equal. if not above. that paid
for woods from outside the State.
The book is evidence of what the
commonwealth is doing to show its
citizens the immense value OF forests
and the need of cultivating woods as
a crop.
Leaving out the lumber used in
rough construction, and counting only
that further worked by machinery aft
er leaving the sawmill the inyestiga-
tors found that Massachusetts in a
year converts about $4,000 900 feet
of lumber into more or less highly
finished products.
Not less than "a varieties of wood
are used in its industries, to the value
of 1862. 100 for 1908, when the fig
ures for the pamphlet were compiled.
The State grows only two woods in
sufficient quantities to supply its
manufacturers-yell oak and ap-
plewood. Pitch pine makes the next
nearest approach to supplying the
home market. but falls II per cent.
short. Rated by quantity, it is. how
ever, goth on the list.
The wood most raised in the State
and most used is white pine. OF this
the report says:
1T is evident that Massachusetts Is
still white pine State. 1t has al
ways been that The original for
ests contained some of the finest
white pine ever cut in America; but
the virgin stand was felled long ago,
and the second, third and perhaps the
fourth growths are now being drawn
upon. How well the demand is met
sent cut of this wood greatly exceeds
the combined cut of all others in the
State. Manufacturers last year used
! 1873 900 feet of homegrown white
pine, and only 33,172,923 feet of all
the other State-grown species-4 to
in favor of white pine Yet Massa-
chusetts is not now producing half
the pine demanded by home factories.
90 per cent of the total quantity comes
from other States, some OF it from as
far West as Michigan. Large areas of
vigorous young growth are coming on,
nd. with better protection from fire
than formerly, there is promise OF
substantial gain
Study of the woodworking indus
lllcS VI llit oldle SlOMS SItdl ulNSi-
sity of product, from the toughest
packing cases to violins, for example.
For boxes the State uses 351, 941 $50
feet of lumber a year. This is seven
times as much as any other wood
working industry in the State re-
quires.
In 1908 boxmakers paid four times
as much for their raw material as
was paid by any other of the wood
working industries. The nearest ap'
porach was by the furniture makers
the cost. 23 woods are on the list o.
box materials. The manufactured pro
duct ranged from the grossest crates
such as serve for shipping marble
slabs or nursery stock, to the fines
sample cases for commercial travel
ers, and receptacles for confectionery
toilet articles and jewelry. The cheap
est wood reported was cottonwood, a
50 a thousand. cut in Massachusetts
nd received as logs at the factory Tn,
most costly was mahogany, at $25
per thousand-a higher average price
than was reported by any other in
dustry in the State. Only one Woo
more costly was reported by any in
dustry-rosewood, at $3.50 per thous
and, for pianos.
One-third of the manufacturers o
wood in the State make boxes 1t is |
side line with many. who thus utll
ize what otherwise would be waste
Others, whose chief business in il
other lines, perhaps not directly con
nected with wood, make boxes anf
crates for shipping their own prod
Iucts. Less than SO per cent of the re-