188B^&<^>3t^a!c:;^^yx;iWtTO^!;g|;^^m;>t^^ 



Hardwoods and the Dry Kiln 



J 



Notwithstanding the fact that the best dry kilns of the country find 

 a ready sale in connection with the preparation of hardwood lumber 

 and that the use of hardwood lumber in cabinet work calls for the 

 highest order of scientific drying, there are proportionately fewer 

 kilns in connection with hardwood sawmills than can be found in 

 connection with pine mills. This is a situation a little difficult to 

 thoroughly understand, even though there are many easy explanations. 

 :Some of these explanations do not really explain, and perhaps the 

 main reason why there have not been more dry kilns built in connec- 

 tion with hardwood sawmills in the past is that the average hardwood 

 sawmill man has fought shy of installing dry-kiln equipment, pre- 

 ferring to let the consumer of his product take care of the actual 

 drying for use. 



The conclusions arrived at by many of the various students of the 

 lumber industry is that sawrailling is precarious business at which 

 very few people attain great wealth. One of the strong reasons 

 assigned for this condition is that a long time is required between 

 buying stumpage and marketing the lumber product. Not only is 

 the time often long between the tree and the market, but also during 

 this interval market conditions may alter considerably so that at the 

 time one is ready to market a product which has been sawed and air- 

 dried, the market may be flooded with just this kind of product and 

 the prices such that there is not much profit in the business. The 

 yellow pine sawmill men learned two important facts long ago. One 

 of these was that considerable money and freight can be saved by 

 kiln-drying stock before shipment. The other lesson learned was that 

 by having dry kilns enabling them to shorten the length of shipping 

 cinie they could take advantage of the market and be in a position to 

 realize more handsomely for their products. Certain elements in the 

 hardwood business learned this same lesson several years ago. The 

 stave trade, for instance, used to depend upon air-drying almost 

 entirely which took sixty or ninety days of favorable weather and 

 longer during the wet seasons. Hence the stave manufacturers often 

 found themselves with nothing but green stock on hand at a time 

 when markets were calling for dry stock at good prices, and they 

 were unable to supply the market. Often by the time the green stock 

 was ready for shipment, this activity was no longer apparent and the 

 chance for a good profit was gone. This led many stave manufac- 

 turers to install dry kilns for getting out their product with quicker 

 and better results. It was found that it takes less capital to erect a 

 good kiln than it would to carry a big stock of material on hand, 

 drying, and further, that the mills could be operated with the same 

 amount of capital and the results would be more satisfactory. The 

 hardwood sawmill man should be able to realize satisfactory returns 

 from the same investment. The main trouble seems to have been that 

 the average hardwood sawmill man has been rather disposed in the 

 past to keep away from the use of dry kilns and has made every 

 effort to get along without them. Some have embraced the theory 

 that since the furniture manufacturer and other users of hardwood 

 have installed kilns for their own use to insure absolute dryness in 

 the lumber they use, there is no need for the manufacturer to do the 

 same thing and thus double the total drying equipment. 



In the veneer business, which is commanding more and more atten- 

 tion, it has been found that the best results in fine cabinet work are 

 secured by drying at the manufacturing end and then re-drying at 

 the consuming end. Proper seasoning of hardwood products does not 

 consist merely of drying, but rather involves drying and re-drying, 

 so that what looks like an unnecessary doubling in the drying process 

 is almost a necessity in itself. The hardwood trade is becoming more 

 and more dependent upon the dry kiln at the manufacturing end, but 

 this method is not so general in connection with hardwood manufac- 

 ture as it might well be. It would seem that the turning to the dry 

 kiln should be more voluntary and that the hardwood manufacturer 

 should not have to be convinced so completely as to its money-making 

 possibilities. The installation of dry kilns at most of the hardwood 

 mills of the country would result in a more even market, as it would 

 enable llic millman to take advantage of fluctuations, and hence there 



would not be prolonged periods of shortness in dry stock. As stated 

 before, it would not require any more capital to erect dry kilns than 

 is required to carry stocks for air-drying. In fact the dry kiln should 

 not be a matter of expense, but a highly satisfactory investment. 



American Forest Trees 



The seven-hundred-page illustrated book entitled "American Forest 

 Trees" recently issued by Hakdwood Eecord, is receiving the 

 encomium of many individuals whose opinion of its character is fully 

 worth while. 



Below are (juoted excerpts from sundry letters: 



Cadillac, Mich.. July 10th, 1013. 

 Dear Mr. Gibson : 



This Is a remark.ible book of yours which has come to hand. There are 

 plenty of tree books, but this is diBferent from any, and being ditferent, 

 occupies in all foi-ost literature a place of its own. 



1. It Uccjis the proper middle line between science- and art, botwerti 

 botany and workman's knowledge. 



2. It does not contain what the other books do. namely : no mere 

 "copy." 



3. It is written in the best of Knglish, and is readable like a good 

 novel. Beading, usually a drudgery, is here converted into Joy. 



-i. It contains a store of knowledge never before presented in a 

 systematic foi'm. 



I herewith enclose check for five additional copies for the use of. my 

 students. 



C. A. ScnENCK, 

 Biltmore Forest School. 

 Chicago, 111., July 10th, 1013. 

 Dear Mr. Gibson : 



I take pleasure in enclosing you herein my check for six dollars covering 

 copy of American Forest Trees, delivered yesterday, and. while I have 

 only had an opportunity to glance over it casually. I have gone far enough 

 to appreciate its value. It is Just what I expected it to be. 



E. \V. McCoLLOUGii, Scc'y & Gen. Mgr., 

 National Implement & Vehicle Association. 

 Berwind, W. Va., August 4th, 1013. 

 Dear Mr. Gibson ; 



I want to thank you for sending me volume, American Forest Trees, and 

 I can assure you it gives nie pleasure to enclose my check for six dollars. 

 It will till a long felt want in my small library. 



S. G. McClelland, Mgr., 

 Berwind Lumber Company. 

 Chicago, 111., July Oth, 1013. 

 Dear Mr. Gibson : 



I have received a copy of your remarkable and very beautifully illus- 

 trated work on American trees. I prize it for its very genius. 



Sam D. Hughes. Editor, 

 Newspaper Enterprise Association. 

 Chicago, 111., August 1st, 1013. 

 Dear Mr. Gibson ; 



I enclose check, six dollars, in payment of book, American Forest 

 Trees. 



If you never do anything more you certainly deserve great credit for 

 this, as it is a great book. 



John C. Spry. 

 rbiladclphla. Pa., July 30th, 1013. 

 Dear Sirs : 



My glance through the leaves of American Forest Trees shows that this 

 book will prove a worthy addition to works on this subject. I am glad 

 to have in on my shelves, and I know it will be a boon to lumbermen 

 and all nature lovers. 



Owen M. Bruneb. 

 Columbus, Ohio, August 1st, 1013. 

 Editor HiUDwooD Record ; 



Your volume, American Forest Trees, is received. 



It is an encyclopedia of the forest and its products "what am." 



J. \V. Taylor. 

 Boston Mass., August 1st, 1013. 

 Dear Mr. tiihson : 



The writer looks forward to spending a good many pleasant evenings 

 reading your book on American Forest Trees. 



Hobart & Co. 

 Incidentally, while this magnificent de luxe volume of more than 

 seven hundred pages was published as a subscription work, there are 

 several hundred copies yet unsold. The books can be secured at the 

 subscription price of six dollars by express prepaid, with the privilege 

 of examination before payment is made. 



-34— 



