BUREAU OF FORESTRY. 125 



with standard methods of manufacture. A detailed microscopic study 

 is also being' made of the wood fibers as an additional means of ascer- 

 taining the structural basis of the excellence or unfitness of certain 

 fibers for the manufacture of paper. The paper produced will be 

 subject to thorough tests, including the wear and strains to which 

 they are subjected in actual use. 



Removal of resin from fir pulp woods. — In connection with the gen- 

 eral investigation of pulp woods a special attempt is being made to 

 devise a cheap treatment which shall remove all the resin in fir woods, 

 or at least a sufficient part of it, to permit its reduction to pulp by 

 grinding without clogging the reducing stones. 



TURPENTINE ORCHARDING. 



The method of producing naval stores in the South is rapidly 

 destroying the forests of the Longleaf Pine, a timber whose preserva- 

 tion is absolutely essential to the prosperity of that region. These 

 facts led to an investigation of the production of crude resin by the 

 Longleaf Pine, and an attempt to devise a more economical system. 

 The survival of the naval stores industry depends absolutely on the 

 abandonment of the old system of boxing and the introduction of a 

 new method which will protect the life of the tree. The old system 

 invites the destruction of the forest by fire and wind, as well as l3y the 

 boxing itself. The Herty method of tapping, devised by Dr. C. H. 

 Herty, a member of this Bureau, leaves the tree practically intact. 

 By this method the resin, from two or more shallow streaks chipped 

 on the trunk, flows into galvanized iron gutters which conduct it to 

 an earthen pot hanging by a nail to the trunk of the tree. To test 

 the new method in comparison with the old, 20,000 trees in strips 

 intimately mingled were tapped. Great care was taken to make 

 the comparison perfectly fair. The run of gum from sets of trees 

 tapped for the first, second, third, and fourth times was collected and 

 measured for each method. A bulletin giving in detail the results of 

 the test is now in preparation. It is sufficient to say here that in quan- 

 tity, quality, and economy of production the new method is decidedly 

 superior to the old. 



The acknowledgments of the Bureau are due to Mr. John H. Powell, 

 of Ocilla, Ga. , without whose assistance this experiment could not have 

 been carried out. 



COOPERATION WITH THE DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 



In cooperation with the Division of Entomology, much attention has 

 been given during the past year to the ravages of insects injurious to 

 forests. Problems of the first importance to conservative forestry are 

 presented by insect damage in the East and West alike. It may be 

 cited as an example that the timber killed by insects in recent years 

 in the Black Hills of South Dakota amounts to not less than 600,000,000 

 feet B.M. 



VARIOUS STUDIES. 



A history of the lumber industry in the State of New Yorl'. — This 

 study, prejjared by the superintendent of forests of the State of New 

 York, was completed during the year, and has recently appeared as 

 Bulletin No. 34 of this Bureau. 



