40 THE MICHIGAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 



FORESTRY PROBLEM OP MICHIGAN, FROM A BUvSINESS 



MAN'S POINT OF VIEW. 



JOHN H. BISSELL. 



In reading Prof. Green's recent book on Forestry, I was nnich struck 

 with its statement of the many uses of wood and forest products. I 

 give it in outline. 



"Wood serves so many purposes and enters so largely into human activ- 

 ities, that it may be said to be one of the most useful of all natural 

 products. Think for a moment of its many and varied uses at the 

 present time. 



"/n Carpentry, the rough material is used in frame work, sills, studding, 

 plates, joists, rafters ; in sheathing, roofing, shingles, lath ; while finished 

 lumber is used in siding, floors, doors, window frames, sash, blinds, stair- 

 ways, furniture, and fixtures of many kinds, mouldings, ornamental fin- 

 ishings (solid and veneer). 



^'For Raihcaijs, in wharves, piers, bridges, piling, etc., ties and culverts. 



"/>i Shipbuilding its use is as general and varied as in house building. 



"In Joinery, including furniture, cabinet and box work. 



"In Making Cars, wagons and carriages. 



''In Cooperage, barrels, casks, tubs, kegs, pails, churns of various kinds 

 of wood. 



"In the manufacture of farm and household machinery and implements, 

 in wooden ware, baskets, parts of musical instruments, in machine build- 

 ing. 



"Timder for mining purposes is in great demand and enormous quanti- 

 ties are required, so that mines are among the heaviest consumers. 



''Telegraph, telephone, electric light, and electric railway companies are 

 heavy consumers. 



"In Lunibering operations. 



"Wood Pulp and Distillation products, in the manufacture of paper, 

 boards, buckets, car wheels, and an infinite variety of articles. 



"Tl\,e destructive distillation of u:ood from which is obtained charcoal, 

 vinegar, alcohol, creosote, gas, tar, pyroligneous, oxalic, acetic and other 

 acids ; acetone, paraffin, uaphthaliu, lamp-black, etc. ; and from bark the 

 tannic acid. Besides -the bark, the saps are used to produce turpentine, 

 resin, gums and rubber, sugar," liquors, and various medicines; the 

 pith is used for food, and fibre for clothing ; the fruit and leaves of some 

 trees are used for food, medicinal and chemical extracts." 



Surely it is a matter of the most serious concern whether the country's 

 supply of timber is failing or not, and whether anything can be done 

 by the individual or the State, to preserve the present stocks, to re- 

 plenish some of the waste and depletion of the supplies — or utilize again 

 the waste places, where once were forests, with the same most valuable 

 crop. 



The superficial area of the State of Michigan, as given by the late Prof. 



