The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1917-10-12

ava
of littIe-known branch of government. the forest
products laboratory. situated at Madison. Wis,
Mr.. Hallauer and his associates hope to teach this
country how to save two billions of dollars an
nually
He Is confident that 1t can be done that is, that
the annual of wood now valued at two bill
lions be made into articles use which at
present prices would bring double that amount.
1t Is man-size job, but the confident engineer
points proudly to unbelievaby vast economies al
ready effected in the wood trndes through the
work OF the forest products laboratory's chemists
They are in such terms that 1t would be hard to
thouiate the exact savings, but there is little
doubt that they run over 100000. 900 a year.
Few persons outside the wood trades know of
the laboratory. the first OF its kind
tnbished but which has been imita In n num-
Der of countries since 1t began operation.
annual appropriation small for the work IT
does; something less than 5000 900.
The laboratory is now looked upon to save the
paper situation of the country, and 1t cheerfully
tackles the job Only recently announcement was
made In Washington that the laboratory had dis
covered that good grades of paper be made
from a number Of far Western woods and that
Wisconsin paper mills already ordering
trainoads of wood chips from the West for paper
pulp. The cost of freight to Wisconsin is more
than offset by the cheapness Of the chips. and the
paper thus made Is expected to prove a consider
able factor In relieving the paper famine.
A visitor who leaves Mr.. Haauer
ly believe that there is anything which cannot be
made from wood.
How about the cabed story that the Germans
have discovered n food they can make from wood
which they feeding to Russian prIsoners?'
was the first question asked.
almost surely not true he said THE hui
man stomach cannot stand IT. 1t is possible to
convert sawdust food, and that was
probably the foundation for the story
But Germany from her forests is obtaining such
great results that IT, English writer recently
suggested impractically, England We're to destroy
Germany's forests, the would surely end
very Artificial Is the things
which being supplied from wood Paper shirts
also being used, but then Japan is supplying
these to the Russian soldiers.
Germany has been driven to extreme of her
forests by necessity. but country with the
ception of Germany has made such systematic
effort at developing forest products the United
States
Charcoal manufacture of black gun
powders is being obtained from dogwood. willow
and alder. Great quantities of alcohol and ether
from imported molasses. but If were
cut of from this material could depend
upon the forests. Alcohol could also be made from
grain, but In times grain would be required
for food 1t is estimated that during the present
year 100000 gallons of denatured alcohol will
be used at home, while huge quantities are being
exported.
The use of wood for gunstocks is generally IA
miliar. Our supply of seasoned black walnut, the
most suitable wood for the purpose. has been
tirely exhausted by heavy demands of Europe
Heretofore the practice has been to let gunstock
material air for months before 1T would
be worked Time became important that
artificial seasoning resorted to, but improper
methods destroyed too much of the material.
The forest products laboratory has now per-
fected dry kilns which overcome the trouble. and
as a further aid perfecting methods of using
other woods notably birch, for gun stock. Then
there Is the relative of the gun stock, the
wooden leg, making heavy demands for willow.
Millions of feet Of lumber and heavy timbers are
required in times for structural purposes.
such the erection of docks, bridges, trenches
and temporary shelters
Disinfectants a necessity. They can
be made from wood Pure wood alcohol is the
only substance that be converted into for
maldehyde. universally used for disinfection
against such contagious diseases smallpox,
scarlet fever, diptheria and tuberculosis. 1t Is
also used to prevent crop diseases by disinfectins
the Seeds
But the Importance of forest products for war
supplies in way compares with their import
for industries The largest of these are the
lumber pulp, and paper, naval stores and dis
citation industries They employ more than