Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-27
CONSERVING WASTE WOOD
BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

When a standing tree is felled, it is
said to be good logging and good mill
ing If 40 per cent of 1t is converted
into disable lumber. The average re-
suit is around 33 per cent. In utiliz-
ing the lumber at least one-fourth Is
lost in turning out the finished prod
uct, according to the computations of
the experts, hence there is wastage
of approximately rs per cent of the
tree. Hence the exceedingly impor-
tant problem of reducing that waste.
This problem is regarded as all the
more important because of the con-
stantly diminishing supply of timber
in the world, and particularly in the
United States. Something has to be
done about it, and a great deal is be-
ing done. However, much remains to
be done.
Everything from chopsticks for ex-
portation to China and Japan to alco-
hol, both ethyl and wood, for the III
terror purposes of American bootleg
gers, is being made out of waste wood,
and the end is not yet. Scientists are
working constantly on the problem,
and almost daily are devising new uses
to bring about ultimately the complete
consumption of natures great gift to
mankind.
ton to grasp the amount of timber
that is consumed each year in the
United States. 1t runs to something
like So billion board feet-square feet
/ inch thick-and persons who delight
in computations of the sort have fig
ured that this would be enough to con-
struct a boardwalk 20 feet in width
from the earth to the moon.
Along with this almost an equal
amount is used as fuel annually
quantity that would make woodpiIe
half a mile in height and almost three
quarters Of a mile square at it's base
Waste Not What 1t Was Formerly.
OF course, the waste of timber is
nothing now compared to what it was
in the days when only lumber or fire.
wood was made of a tree, and when
they were "choicey" about their lum-
Der and firewood. The lumber had to
be OF a width and Of a grain, or it
would be cast aside, and the firewood
had to be from timber that was easily
cut and split, or 1t would be left to rot
on the ground. In those days a seri-
Gus problem at every mill was what to
do with slabs, chips, short cuts and
sawdust. No one thought of utilizing
them; the only concern was how to
get rid of them.
Now II is predicted that the near fu-
ture will see timber handled by a.
group Of Industrial establishments and
laboratories, directed by experts and
chemists, who will see to it that each
tree yields everything of use there is
In It from roots to branches.
Such a plant, says one scientist.
might take Douglas fir, for example.
and utilize it's trunk for lumber for
houses; the bark for waIlboard or filler
for paper; the trimmings for lath and
"hogged fueP' for power, and the resi-
due for charcoal for stock feed and
other uses. From the branches, top
and stump, resin, turpentine and other
chemicals would be extractible, leav-
ing more charcoal. Larger pieces of
wood, that once might have been
wasted, would be ground up for wood
pulp for wrapping paper and news
print, and the liquor from the pulp
mill might be used as a binder for the
sawdust, thereby converting the last
leftover into a fuel.
A bookkeeper in a Northwestern
lumber mill found his way to fortune
through knowing what to do with
waste lumber. The mill was on the
verge of bankruptcy, but had accumu.
lated a tremendous quantity Of short
lengths that might be valuable II a
market could be found. The book
keeper had the idea that created the
markell box factory that he now
heads. Even box factories have their
wastage, but where conditions are IA
vorable 1t Is now being salvaged and
converted into wood pulp.
What May BE Done With Sawdust.
Sawdust, it is being demonstrated,
can be put to an almost infinite va
riety OF uses. Mixed with cement 1t
makes an excellent floor, 1t is stated.
This composition as a base, in which
very short lengths Of hardwood floor
Ing are set like mosaic work, or to
resemble tiles, makes possible a highly
artistic floor. Reduce sawdust to
what is known as wood flour and
mix 1t with d glue binder, chalk, clay
and linseed oil. and 1t can be nodded
into articles too numerous to men.
ton. but all of value.
Charcoal has been made from wood
for many years-no one knows ex.
actly how many--but 1t is only within
a comparatively recent date>that man
has learned the lesson of the by,
products that can be saved. The
gases generated in the making of
charcoal are now saved and con-
densed, and from various woods there
are now recovered wood alcohol,
acetic acid for dyeing, acetone-used
in the film NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. and
pitch. From the soft woods which
contain pitch and resin distillation
yields wood turpentine, pine oils and
tar oils.
Glucose is being made, it is re-
ported, by treating wood waste with
dilute hydrochloric.acid gas and
gtaann and Hhn zarnduct. In used an n