East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1918-06-07
SHIP BUILDERS NEED
BLACK LOCUST WOOD
Used for Treenails; Owners
Should Write Fleet
Corporation.


Farmers who have good locust tim-
ber. suitable for tho manufacture OF
ships treenails. will do we'll to com.
munlcate with the purchasing division
OF the Emergency Fleet Corporation.
which announces that 1t win give
prompt attention to Inquiries from
those wishing to be put In touch with
treenail manufacturers.
Great Quantities Needed.
Tho shipbuilding program OF thel
Government has enormously increas-
cd the demand for treenails, or stun
nels," which are used In wooden ships
much as bowels were used in old-fash-
Toned frame construction work. They
are huge wooden nails. from to 4
feet long, which fasten together the
plankIng or outer shell of the hull. tho
frames, or skeleton, and the ceiling,
or inner shell. Most OF the treenafls
used IN this country are made OF black
locust. or yellow locust, as the tree IL
often called. They must be made of
straight grained wood which COM
bines density. hardness, strength, and
durability. which does not shrink
much. and will not split readily; and
locust is prominently the wood that
filis the bill.
Encourages offers From small Owners
Black locust does not grow in great
stands, but must be picked mp in rela-
tively small quantities. so that the
shIpyard demand opens the door to
the marketing by farmers Of wood-iot
timber OF this species. BY doing so
they may contribute TO the wartime
needs Of the country and thus help
down the hun. and at the same time
convert into ready money some OF tho
value that their growing timber has
accumulated. Forest-grown locust OF
good grade, Is the most desirable
from every standpoint. although soma
manufacturers buy the field grown IL
found in sufficient size and quantity
to warrant handling.
Wooden shipyards are now busy
from Main to Texas as well as on the
Great Lakes en5 the Pac.i.c coast. ana
az each ship takes from 90 900 to 50.-
600 treenails the manufacturers who
supply the yards are naturally out for
supplies Of locust. While several kinds
Of wood may be used. to the extent
that black locust is obtainable 1t is
preferred. Honey locust will not do
for treenails as II IS too porous. The
Emergency Fleet Corporation. which
Is purely a Government orsanizatfon,
is assisting the manufacturers OF tree
nails to find their raw material, and
has been instrumental in developing
large supplies since the war program
Of shipbufiding was entered upon. IL
is anxious to bring together owners
OF suitable stadlng timber and the
manufacturers operating IN their terrL
tory.
How 10 Market Locust.
What the farmers can expect to get
for his locust viii vary with the grade
Of the timebr and the cost of laying II
down at the mills Some manufac-
turers buy the timber on the stump,
others by the cord or thousand feet.
in which case the farmer can do the
cutting himself. Selected stock win
bring the best prices. especially when
the manufacturer has drawn his
specifications high so ms to get the
best grades only.
Owners of locust desiring to be pot
in touch with a treenaii manufactur-
er should address the Purchasing Dtvi-
sion. Emergency Fleet Corporation.
Washington. ID. c. Full information
should be given as TO the nature OF
the timber. its approximate quantity.
and the location with reference to the
nearest shipping point The name of
the railroad serving the shipping point
should also be given.