1552 



AMERICAN FORESTRY 



real drying period, and just before the kiln is to be 

 emptied. The reasons for these tests are obvious. The 

 first test gives an idea as to how long the lumber should 

 be dried, the second and third tests as to whether the 

 moisture is leaving the lumber, and the last shows 

 whether the wood is dry enough for the intended pur- 

 pose. The first test is also a safeguard to the purchaser 

 in case he is buying kiln-dried lumber, specified to be 

 down to a certain moisture content. If these tests are 

 correctly made, a schedule can be built up from them, to 

 be ajiplied in drying future charges. Valves should be 

 marked and steam pressure regulated, to insure as nearly 

 perfect a schedule as possible with each charge. 

 Schedules are issued by dry kiln manufacturers, but no 

 two kilns will give the same results vmder such a pre- 

 .scribed schedule, due to changeable external conditions. 

 The process of manufacture can usually be so planned 

 to work in harmony with the proper kiln schedule. A 

 hit-or-miss schedule is a sure indication of laxity in the 

 oi)eration. If records are kept of each charge and results 

 obtained, a degree of perfection can soon be certified. 

 This has been a rather general discussion, but the 

 writer has tried to give a few suggestions in kiln-drying 

 lumber, so that less of it may go eventually to the burner, 

 w'hich means that less lumber will have to be used to 

 complete the product for the market. This factor of less 

 waste and more production will work backwards until 

 our remaining standing timber is reached, until we come 

 as near as we can to that goal, at which all good foresters 

 are aiming, the saving of our timberlands. 



"GUARDING FORESTS NEAR BROADWAY" 



'T'HAT there is an op]iortunity for forest fires within 

 ■*■ fifty-two miles of Broadway so astonishes the Edi- 

 tor of the Evening Sun, of New York City, that he pro- 

 ceeds to print a good story about the forests in the hope, 

 no doubt, that his readers will be astonished too. The 

 Editor of the American Forestry Magazine extends con- 

 gratulations to the Editor of the Evening Sun and hopes 

 he will find further opportunity to enlighten his read- 

 ers by printing more about the condition of the forests 

 in New York State and elsewhere. The article in the 

 Evening Sun follows in part : 



"Forests primeval, extensive wilderness reseml)ling 

 in every detail the enormous plains of the West — and 

 only fifty-two miles from Broadway : 



"Manhattanites who eke out their existence exploring 

 the limits of Greater New York as far as the subway 

 lines will permit them have never realized what a 

 wealth of woodland, of the regular wild kmd, is close 

 to New York. There are no less than 400,000 acres of 

 woodland, in Suffolk County, Long Island alone. So 

 extensive are the wilds in that region that forest fires 

 have occured with dangerous frequency and means to 

 combat them have been undertaken by the State con- 

 servation authorities. 



"The occurrence of forest fires within such a short 

 distance from Broadway may be a surprise to the 

 average New Yorker, but a greater surprise is in store 



for the city visitor to those regions, for he will have 

 an opportunity to view for the first time the extensive 

 fire protection system that has been installed there. 



"The first thing that strikes the eye of the city visitor 

 as he leaves the train at Holtsville, Long Island, is 

 a huge forest observation station. It is located on Tele- 

 scope Hill, which lies just north of Holtsville station on 

 the main line of the Long Island Railroad. 



".\n e.\i)crt (ibscrver, .\. H. Lucus, of Selden, appoint- 

 ed to keep a careful watch of the surrounding wood- 

 lands during the forest fire season and to report them 

 upon detection to the town supervisor of fire wardens, 

 is stationed on the tower. 



"The second tower is located on Flanders Hill, south- 

 west of the town of Flanders and about seven or eight 

 miles south of Riverhead. It is similar in construction 

 to the Telescope Hill structure. From there one can 

 command a view of the entire territory from the sound to 

 the ocean. J. M. Brewster, a hardy, experienced for- 

 ester, is in charge of this tower. 



"The system of fire prevention on Long Island has 

 been maintained by the Commission in the Adirondacks 

 for many years, and its effectiveness in prompt detection 

 of fires there has been demonstrated many times. When 

 the Commission proposed sites for the towers last year. 

 Long Island fish and game clubs as well as land 

 owners subscribed liberally to provide funds for the pur- 

 chase of the towers. 



"Long Island is New York's playground," says Wil- 

 liam G. Howard, assistant superintendent of State For- 

 ests, who recently submitted a report of the condition 

 of that territory to the State Conservation Commission. 



"It is impossible to estimate the thousands upon thou- 

 sands who go there for recreation and who have their 

 summer homes there," Mr. Howard pointed out. "The 

 central and eastern ])ortions of the island are so far 

 from the city that they are not densely populated. There 

 are extensive areas of wild land grown up to brush and 

 trees — unfortunately more of the former than the latter. 



KEEPING THE BARK ON 



T7'(^>R preventing tJie bark from flaking off logs used 

 ■'■ in rustic structures, the Forest Products Laboratory, 

 Madison, recommends the following methods of sea- 

 soning and ]5reparing the timbers as the most effectual : 



(1) Cut timbers late in summer and score on two 

 sides ; that is, cut off narrow strips of bark for the 

 entire length. Pile in shade in open pile to allow 

 thorough circulation of air. Allow timbers to season 

 until following s]iring or summer before using. 



(2) Proceed as in (1), and in addition coat ends, 

 stripped portions, and knots with coal-tar creosote, using 

 one coat a few days after timber is cut and another 

 just before using the timbers. 



(3) Proceed as in (1), but do not score bark. When 

 timbers are in place, tack bark on with large-headed 

 nails, placing one to every square foot of surface. 

 Paint heads of nails to resemble color of bark. 



(4) Tack or nail the bark on without particular at- 

 tention to time of cutting or other treatment. 



