The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1914-12-17

IA ed that the. best time to cut
timber is in the Winter, eS-
pecially if posts. poles or pole-ties are
the product desired, for timber cut in
Winter gives longer service than if cut
in Summer.
There are several reasons for this,
chief of which is the factor of decay.
Ties known to have been cut in Sum-
mer have rotted sooner than others
known to have been cut in Winter.
This decay is caused by fungi aud
these organisms depend largely upon
temperature and moisture for their
development.
In the Spring and Summer months
the sap is full of albuminous sub
stances which, under the high tenn
perature of the season, ferment and
produce conditions favorable to the
formation Of fungi. In the Winter.
however, the sap is almost entirely
water and does not, therefore, offer SO
good a medium for the development of
decay.
The advantages of Winter cutting
have been recognized by many users
of wood, among them practically all
of the government railroads abroad;
but for many years inspectors were
compelled to accept whatever material
was given them, for they had 10 way
of knowing. except by actually wit
nessingthe cutting, whether the wood
was cut in Winter or in Summer.
Finally a number of examinations,
studies and tests were made and as a
result it is now known how to tell, by
appearance, the difference between
Summer-cut and Winter-cut wood.
Study of Western Hemlock.
The Portland office of the Forest
Service has recently published, In CO.
operation with the Timberman, the re-
suits Of a study Of Western hemlock
(Tsuga heterophylla).
A study of this species was made in
1900 and the data published in the
form of Bulletil SO of the Forest
Service. The recent study, made dur
ing the season of 1912, was designed
to supplement the information gath
cred in 1900. For a long time West
ern hemlock was classed with its East
ern relative, Eastern hemlock, and
looked upon as a weed" tree.
A few progressive millmen. how
ever, realized its worth and did much
toward its utilization, until now it is
recognized as an excellent wood and
marketed under its own name.
Ttn rananf ut1I.- hoe hro,rbk ant
many interesting facts about the tree.
Silviculturally it is a shade-enduring
species, reproduces rapidly, RECEIVERS
quickly from suppression and from
damage by fire or other injury and is
a long-lived tree, specimens from 400
to 500 years old being common. AS &
rule mature trees are from three to
four feet in diameter at breast height
and under 200 feet in height.
Commercially the wood has been
found to be suitable for "boxes. floor
ing, interior finish, sash and door
stock, furniture, fixtures. baskets.
cooperage stock and pulpwood." The
wood is fairly strong, even grained
and ordorless when dry. 1t is free
from pitch and does not absorb mois-
ture sufficiently to make 1t swell or
warp. OF all the commercial uses to
which hemlock has been put pulp
wood is the most important and it is
the most important species In the Pa
ciic Northwest for that purpose. In
1911 6S,141 cords of hemlock were
converted into pulpwood in Washing
ton and Oregon. which constitutes 4S
per cent of the total amount used.
According to the study 1.-THE origi-
nal virgin supply of Western hemlock
Is still almost intact" This is due to
the fact that lumbermen thus far
have been exploiting the forest which
contained the largest amount of Doug
las fir and the least Of Western hem
lock. However, the records show a
marked increase in the use of this
species, the cut of 30, 600, 900 feet in
1908 increasing to 1852, 900, 900 In 1909
and 24S,000, 900 in 1910.
The Forest Service would be glad to
furnish further information to those
who are particularly interested.
Interesting Statistics.
During the fiscal year 1914 over
1900 900 feet board measure of tim
Der in Oregon and 1000, 900 feet board
measure in Washington were given
away under free-use permit. This
free distribution is limited to $40
worth npr wear ner settler or ahouf