The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-06-05
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
INFORM ALTON
BUREAU
DRAFTING THE FORESTS.
RIG ]. HASKIN. Director,
Washington. D. C.

DRAFTING THE FORESTS.
Washington, D. c., June 2.-Three
American trees are right now in
pressing worldwide demand. They
are the black walnut, the black locust
and the hickory.
The United States forest service.
the department of agriculture, the Boy
Scouts and numerous volunteers, is
securing the country for black wal
nut And similar methods will prop
ably have TO be used to meet the de-
mand for black locust and hickory.
Black walnut has been named the
Liberty tree" because of its over
whelming importance in war work. 1t
is the one perfect wood for the manu-
facture of gun stocks, and mahogany
is the only wood that can be substi-
tuted for it in the making Of aero
plane propellers.
For a great many years literally all
the gun stocks in the world had been
made from American black walnut.
The supply was allowed to dwindle;
no measures were taken to replace the
stands of this splendid timber that
were cut. When the war broke out In
Europe, the we'll known and available
supplies of American black walnut
were exhausted almost overnight.
able to fill contracts for lack of this
material
Tho United States forest service
went to work upon the problem at
once. In its forest products labora-
tory it devised a method of seasoning
black walnut in kilns. Formerly, 1t had
taken three years to properly season
the timber by exposure to air and
sunlight, while attempts at kiln-dry-
ing had resulted in from 80 to 80 per
cent of waste. By the forest service
method, which is now in general use,
the wood is successfully seasoned with
very little waste in from 70 to II days.
This achievement made instantly
available supplies of green wood, but
when the United States entered he
war not enough standing timber could
be found to meet the newly created
demand. Forest service officials are
confident that 1t will be met, however,
by the countrywide canvass for wal
nut trees. which is now being con :.
Quoted.
Any person who Owns or can get
hold of enough black walnut timber
to make carload at this time can
render patriotic service, ans also
make a very neat profit. The logs
must be at least ten feet long and ten
inches in diameter, and If of reason.
ably clear grain the wood is worth
from $50 to $50 per thousand board
feet. Only three or four medium sized
trees are needed to make a thousand
feet. A few acres Of black walnut tim
Der, which would hardly have been
worth cutting twenty-five years ago,
now represents a fortune.
Persons having small quantities of
the wood-not enough to make a car
load-should communicate with the
nearest county agent or with the for
est service in Washington. All of the
IN nat if,r, TO =
walnut trees which comes to the for
est service is beng tabulated according
to regions and purchasers will be sent
to all localities where there is enough
OF the wood to make it worth while.
Ownerv of black walnut timber are
strongly urged to communicate with
the forest service or some other repre-
sentative OF the government before
selling. Impostors, representing them
selves to be connected with the gov
eminent or wish concerns doing war
work, have been going about the
walnut timber at low prices on
grounds OF patriotism. The wood is
then resold to manufacturers at a
high profit. The forest service will
furnish TO any one a list Of concerns
actually making guns and aeroplanes
for the government, and the wood
should be sold direct to these.
Many persons are writing to the
forest service. offering their walnut
trees for the good of the cause. And
some are also offering old walnut
furniture. This latter is not generally
acceptable, as the pieces are too small.
Occasionally, old beams, rafters, fence
rails and bridge tfmbers may be used,
however.
The American black walnut has
had rather romantic story. 1t oc-
ours all the way from northern Florida
to southern Connecticut and west as
far as Kansas. A hundred years ago
1t was abundantly distributed thruout
this territory, and was considered of
little value. altho the dye with which
our srandsires' homespun breeches
were colored was made from the
green nuts. The pioneering Ameri-
can, however, had a strong dislike for
the tSee because it was so hard to
cut down in making a clearing. WAL
nut forests, which would now be
worth many millions, were burned to
| make way for cornfields.
There have been many efforts made
to md a suitable substitute for wal
nut in gun stocks. Germany Is using
other woods, of course. 1t is report
ed that birch Is now being used for
gun stocks by many American manu-
facturers. But the walnut has q COM
bination of qualities which is founu
IN no other WOOD. 1t is light and
strong; it does not splinter or crack
when struck by bullets; 1t never
| shrinks after It has once been proper
iy seasoned; and it has high degree
| or resistance to the shock Of explo-
| sion.
Hickory. another typical and well
known American tree, is almost as
much in demand and as hard to get as
black walnut. for this wood, which has
SO long been used for the chastisement
or reca1citrant American youth. is
now needed to whip a delinquent ma
ton. Hickory. like walnut. is hard
| ana strong. IT will not do for gun
stocks and ae~oplane propellers, but
Tor wagon wheels and spokes it has
no equal And in spite of the wide use
or motors, there is a tremendous war
time demand for wagons. The Amer
i wagon are doing a large part of the
work OF transportation in this war. as
! they nave done nearly all of 1t in pre-.
| vtOus ones So n yoI, havs anu b;olr