HARDWOOD RECORD 



35 



Utilization of Sound Wormy 

 Chestnut 



Sound wormy chestnut is without question 

 tSe" wood most universally used for core 

 stock or to veneer on. Because of its light- 

 ness in weight, good width and low price, it 

 has gained favor vrith the consuming trade, 

 and each year we see the demand increase, 

 and this wood supplant other lumber. Casket 

 manufacturers are the largest consumers of 

 wormy chestnut, with piano factories a close 

 second and furniture manufacturers third. 



It is interesting to follow the advance in 

 grade of this lumber. Prior to the panic of 

 1907, West Virginia chestnut was not well 

 known to the consumers of Chicago and the 

 West. Up to this time the principal mar- 

 ket for the West Virginia mills had been 

 New York and the eastern states. Vast 

 quantities of wormy chestnut accumulated 

 during the panic and the millmen came to 

 the western market to sell this lumber. The 

 widths, long lengths and good quality of the 

 chestnut were so superior to the stock they 

 were accustomed to, that now it is found 

 hard to -dispose of anything but West Vir- 

 ginia stock. 



The grade of wormy chestnut has changed 



wonderfully within a very few years. Four 

 or five years ago log run stock sold readily 

 enough, the only restriction being that lumber 

 be free from heart and shake. Soon the call 

 w-as for No. 1 common and better, all No, 2 

 to be thrown out, until today the best mills 

 put up their stock No. 1 common and better 

 6" and wider. 



It is regretted that the price of sound 

 wormy chestnut has not advanced with the 

 grade. Little more is obtained for this high- 

 grade stock than was obtained a few years 

 back for the narrow, shaky grade put up at 

 that time. This is no doubt due to the over- 

 production of sound wormy stock. Whoever 

 heard of a shortage of wormy chestnut? The 

 mills are generally so overloaded that they 

 are willing to put up any reasonable grade 

 that the consumer may ask for. 



During the last few years a specialty has 

 been made of sound wormy chestnut. The 

 stock is used by so many manufacturers, and 

 in such large quantities that the business is 

 found profitable by many jobbers. Com- 

 plaints now are few, as the grade put up is 

 better generally than is demanded by the 

 grading rules. 



Forest Species of 'Brazil 



An article appears in a British contempo- 

 lary, the Timber Trades Journal, which covers 

 i.i a comprehensive way the timber resources 

 of the Eepublic of Brazil. Much more or less 

 hazy information has been circulated as to 

 the forest resources of this country, but com- 

 paratively little of a practical nature is as 

 yet known, as the timberlands are almost en- 

 tirely unexplored. 



A company has been organized recently to 

 exploit the forest area near the city of Eio 

 de Janeiro, this area being covered with a 

 first-class virgin forest. A prospectus wUl 

 shortly be issued, giving a more intimate 

 knowledge of the timbers of this area, and 

 the probability of shipments. 



Bcports have been issued by native timber 

 experts, who state that eighty per cent of the 

 estate is covered by timber of fine market- 

 able quality, consisting of red cedar (which la 

 found in large quantities), BrazU cherry wood, 

 peroba, peroba rosa or redwood (very common 

 on the estate), balsam wood, lemon wood, 

 Brazilian hickory (which is very plentiful), 

 large quantities of mahogany. Tabasco ebony, 

 rosewood in plentiful quantities, oil wood, 

 Cangerana mahogany, Gequiliba rosa or red 

 giant, bicuyba or fat tree, Caine de Vacea or 

 cow wood, Brazilian oak, waterwood, Araiba 

 amarello or yellow boxwood, black Brazilian 

 walnut, yellow walnut, alveswood, periera 

 wood, Brazil ash, bonewood, Peguia marfim 

 or gold wood, Brazil sycamore, and many 

 other varieties. 



The timbers are divided by these experts 

 into three classes — hardwoods, whitewoods, 

 and those suitable for making charcoal. There 



13 a large local demand for the whitewoods, 

 and also for the charcoal, but the hardwoods 

 vtill be principally exported. 



To these latter, which will probably directly 

 concern the timber market here, we have paid 

 attention, having recently had the pleasure of 

 inspecting a very large number of samples of 

 the wood, which have been sent from this 

 locality. 



It is somewhat difficult to identify the sam- 

 ples, but to all local Spanish names are ap- 

 pended. Many species of mahogany are rep- 

 resented, some being of Honduras-like tex- 

 ture, others with color and grain similar to 

 Cuban wood. The cedar specimen more 

 nearly approaches the Cuban variety than 

 any other. 



Many samples of walnut and wood akin to 

 walnut are among the collection. Most of 

 these are of really excellent description, being 

 extremely rich in color, and many having 

 finely mottled figure. There is also a yellow 

 walnut (Canella paida), a close-grained, light 

 yellow wood, which would make a good sub- 

 stitute for plain satin-wood. 



A specimen marked "Tajuba" is also note- 

 worthy, being a figured wood with satinwood 

 texture and similar but much richer color. 



The sample of oak called "Angelin" bears 

 some resemblance to African oak, being a close 

 and dense wood of apparently most durable 

 character. 



Two other samples among the many are al- 

 so interesting — one a close-grained, brownish 

 wood with prettily mottled markings, slightly 

 similar to those in silky oak; the other a 

 dark, stripy gray wood of moderate weight 



and appearance, possessing good working 

 qualities. The first described is labeled ' ' Ta- 

 juba, " the latter " Pindanvuna. " Both 

 would make extremely fine cabinet materials. 



As the. forest land to be exploited is in 

 close proximity to a railway, thus giving 

 facilities for conveying the timber to the sea- 

 board, it would appear that the company 

 will be in a position to place the timber on 

 the market at a reasonable cost, and, such 

 being the case (a most important point in 

 the introduction of new woods), there is a 

 good prospect of their products finding a 

 satisfactory market here. 



Many of these woods are well fitted for the 

 cabinet trades, for carriage builders, for the 

 turnery industries, for stick making and 

 other manufactures, others by durability and 

 strength being likely to be used in larger con- 

 structive work, and it is believed that an 

 appreciative market will be found here for 

 most of the timbers when they have been 

 properly introduced. 



Flexible Shafting in Woodworking Shops 



A British firm is responsible for the applica- 

 tion of flexible shafting to the woodworking 

 trades, such as coach and motor car building, 

 cabinet making, furniture, etc. The equipment 

 can be easily modified to suit the particular 

 requirements of any woodworliing trade where 

 rapid boring and screw turning are essential. 

 The process Is quite simple. The mechanism 

 is complete in itself and can be driven from 

 any existing shaft or can be made portable. The 

 essential part consists of three flexible shafts 

 driven from one central gear wheel, though 

 the number of these shafts can be increased as 

 desired. It is claimed that with one of these 

 equipments a man can accomplish ten times the 

 work he can do by hand, and can do it more 

 accurately and uniformly. 



Commerce Commission Decisions 



The following decision has been handed down 

 by the Interstate Commerce Commission on 

 topics pertaining closely to the lumber trade : 

 Rate and Minimum Weight o.\ Mixed Car- 

 loads Dneeasonable 



Opinion No. 1469. Fullerton-Powell Hardwood 

 Company vs. Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul 

 Railway Company et al. Rate of 70 cones per 

 100 pounds, minimum weight 30,000 pounds!, on 

 mixed carload shipments of building and roofing 

 paper, saturated felt and building and roofing 

 felt other than wool felt, found unreasonable 

 to the extent it exceeded 6.3 cents per 100 

 pounds, minimum weight 40,000 pounds. Repara- 

 tion awarded. 



Cboss Ties Rate Uneeasonable When in Ex- 

 cess OF LoMBEE Rate 



Opinion No. 1469. FuIIerton Powell Hardwood 

 Lumber Company vs. Virginia & Southwestern 

 Railway Company et al. Rate charged on a 

 carload shipment of cross ties from Harvey, 

 Va., to Muskegon, Mich., found to be unjust and 

 unreasonable in so far as It exceeded the rate 

 contemporaneously in efl'ect between said points 

 on lumber. 



Ldmbee Rate Reddced 



Beekman Lumber Company vs. Illinois Cen- 

 tral Railroad Company et al. Proportional rate 

 of 11 cents on lumber, Wlnfleld, Ala., to Thebes, 

 111., restricted in Its application to shipments 

 destined beyond Thebes, held Inapplicable when 

 the only destination indicated on the bill of 

 lading was Thebes proper. Combination rate 

 of 23 "^ cents assessed for the movement of a 

 car of lumber as from point of origin to Thebes 

 proper found unreasonable and lower rate pre- 

 scribed for future. Reparation awarded. 



