26 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



at elastic limit, modulus of rupture, modulus 

 of elasticity, horizontal shear at maximum 

 mode, resilience to elastic Unlit, work to maxi- 

 mum load and total work were determined. 

 The results of the comparisons of hickory 

 with other woods show it to be in a class by 

 itself as far as strength and toughness are con- 

 cerned. Eucalyptus approaches very nearly 

 the strength of hickory, but the grain is loeky 

 and the wood hard to work. Hard maple 

 wagon axles more nearly compare to hickory 

 than those of any other wood. Hard maple 

 has about the strength of hickory, but is of 

 inferior toughness. It could be used for this 

 purpose as a good substitute for hickory, ex- 

 cept that it has a twisted grain. White oak, 

 besides being inferior in strength and tough- 

 ness, is too valuable for other purposes to be 

 substituted, though red oak, carefully selected, 

 might take the place of the poorer grades of 

 hickory, as is also the case with ash. Though 

 catalpa is used to a limited extent for buggy 

 wheels, its greatly inferior strength will pro- 

 hibit its entire substitution. 



The investigations relative to factors that 

 effect strength are compiled in the form of 

 numerous tables, showing the effects of vari- 

 ous conditions of light, heat, moisture, rate 

 of growth, weight, soil conditions, age and 

 position of tree both as regards the individual 

 tree in tie forest and the environment of the 

 forest itself as a unit, on the strength of 

 the wood under all sorts of conditions. The 

 bulletin goes exhaustively into the deductions 

 from each table and lays particular stress on 

 the different strength conditions of young and 

 old wood and of second growth and virgin 

 timber. 



In conclusion it states that the hickory 

 supply is practically on the verge of serious 

 shortage. Virgin timber, which hitherto fur- 

 nished the principal supply, is disappearing 

 rapidly, with no apparent foreign sources to 

 be drawn upon. This means, of course, that 

 the country will shortly have to resort entirely 

 to second growth. It is undoubtedly fortunate 

 thpt size cuts no material figure in the utiliza- 

 tion of this tree, though it can not be cut as 

 early as catalpa or black locust. Moreover the 

 yield per acre is comparatively low. Fur- 

 ther, the demands of the consuming trade are 

 very exacting, less than one-half the total vol- 

 unje being used generally. These facts are not 

 considered, however, in prevailing prices, and 

 under the fairly high stumpage price of $10 

 per cord, a good .stand of fifty-year-old hickory 

 is worth only about $80 an acre. Prices, how- 

 ever, are bound to advance because of the 

 high technical value of hickory, together with 

 its fast diminishing supply, and with the hard- 

 wood forests of the country under proper raanT 

 agement and the w-asto item minimized, there 

 should be no difficulty in producing all the 

 hickory necessary for home consumption. 

 » There are now about 100,000,000 acres of for- 

 est land where hickory is grown naturally, 

 though the largest part of this is in an ex- 

 tremely low productive condition through 

 wasteful cutting and severe burning and 

 pasturing. 



It is now up to the users of hickory to do 

 their part toward perpetuating the supply by 

 reducing waste and improving the economic 

 conditions of the trade. To accomplish this 

 end the grading rules should be revised, elim- 

 inating unjust discrimination against heart- 

 wood and bird-pecks. Steps to this end have 

 already been taken by the National Hickory 

 Association and when in force will reduce the 

 annual cut at least fifteen per cent. Secondly, 

 over production should be prevented because 

 of the great susceptibility of the species to 

 the attacks of borers and the consequent de- 

 terioration of accumulated stock. Action has 

 also been taken along these lines, of a more 

 or less definite nature. As a still further 

 action in behalf of the future supply, there 

 should be less specialization in the manufac- 

 ture of hickory. Such small articles as 

 skewers, handles and dowel pins should merely 

 lie by-products in the manufacture of spokes, 

 ax handles, shafts and rims, while spokes and 

 handles can be in their turn a product manu- 

 factured merely in connection with rims, poles 

 or shafts. It needs no exjdanation to convey 

 the value of this method of utilization. A still 

 further example of the enormous waste in 

 hickory manufacture is seen in connection 

 with the manufacture of spoke billets and 

 handle blanks in the woods. Here only the 

 very choicest wood is taken and the rest left 

 or sold as firewood. By sawing instead of 

 riving, an immense amount of waste could be 

 I'liminated and the wood used, practically 

 without the waste element being apparent. 



Further, to place the hickories on an equal 

 commercial footing with other trees, the pres- 

 ent inaccurate and unjust rule should be sub- 

 stituted by a cubic foot log rule. In addition 

 there sliould be a general advance in prices 

 to permit of a higher stumpage value. Such 

 an advance is inevitable and the sooner it 

 Ijegins the less danger will there be of a seri- 

 ous shortage with accompanying still higher 

 prices and great inconvenience. 



The most simple sylvicultural means for per- 

 petuating the species is a simple, clear cutting 

 for coppice growth. Inasmuch as the majority 

 of the wood now used is from the sapwood 

 or from second growth, this method of pro- 

 cedure would require no material change from 

 present conditions. This plan of action could 

 finly be applied, however, to pure stands of 

 hickory which exist principally in the Ohio 

 valley. In mixed stands, owing to the faster 

 sprouting capacity of other species, the hickory 

 sprouts would be overtopped and retarded in 

 growth. In many other localities it will be 

 found necessary to plant, with the ultimate 

 idea of working as a sprout forest. Fall 

 planting should not be attempted, owing to 

 the danger from rodents, and care should be 

 exercised to select only those species best 

 suited to soil conditions. After the stand i.s 

 well under w^ay it should not be allowed to 

 become too crowded, as this will militate 

 against the quality of the wood. Thinnings 

 should begin between the twenty-fifth and 

 thirtieth years, inferior trees being removed 



first, of course. Where there is an uneven 

 stand of mixed species containing a fair 

 amount of hickory, the tree can be readily 

 reproduced by the selection system. Unde- 

 sirable trees of other species should be elim- 

 inated and then after the hickories have ob- 

 tained a sufficient height, bearing in mind the 

 importance of clear bole, which can be ob- 

 tained by a close stand, they should be made 

 to grow as rapidly as possible, using the ax 

 to thin out the feebler specimens. Thus by a 

 well thought out policy of sylviculture, by 

 intelligent cuttings every eight or ten years, 

 and by establishing a reasonable ultimate 

 diameter limit, together with particular atten 

 tion to the protection of the young growth, 

 the owners of hickory woodlots will shortly 

 liave hickory stands of immense value in their 

 possession. 



It is only by beginning immediately to work 

 along the lines suggested in this most valuable 

 Inilletin, or along similar lines, that the present 

 consumers of hickory will be enabled to con- 

 tinue the manufacture of those articles which 

 seemingly can be manufactured only with a 

 sufficient supply of good hickory stock avaU- 

 nble. Any present investment of capital would 

 be more than offset in the course of a few 

 years, were conditions allowed to go on as at 

 present, by the immeasurably greater cost 

 both of stumpage and of production. 



Experimenting with Wood for Shuttles 



From the Chicago office of the United States 

 Forest Service, devoted to the question of wood 

 utilization, comes the advice that that office is 

 co-operating with an eastern manufacturer of 

 shuttles with a view to ascertaining what woods 

 now not used for the manufacture of that arti- 

 cle possess suitable physical qualities. Several 

 woods found in the Pacitic coast national for- 

 ests, namel.v, Pacific dogwood, California valley 

 mahogany, cascara huckthorn, madrona, golden 

 leaf chinquapin and Pacific .vew, have been ex- 

 perimented with, and in addition Missouri red 

 gum will be subjected to the various tests. 



The entire manufacture of shuttles was for- 

 merly from Turkish boxwood, the mills of this 

 country and Europe importing what they re- 

 quired from tliat country at reasonable prices. 

 With the introduction of roller skates, however, 

 the increasing demand resulted in a much higher 

 scale, and it was not long before the price was 

 practically prohibitive as far as the utilization 

 of the wood in the manufacture of shuttles was 

 concerned. American dogwood and persimmon 

 proved satisfactory substitutes and have been 

 utilized for this purpose for a considerable length 

 nf time, dogwood being preferable. It has been 

 realized, however, that the supply of these woods 

 is extremely limited and it is witli this object 

 iu mind that the present investigations are be- 

 ing carried on. 



Of the western species. Pacific dogwood seems 

 liest suited to the demands of the shuttle manu- 

 facturer, as it closely resembles the species of 

 the East. The so-called valley mahogany pos- 

 sesses a hard wood of exceedingly tirm texture 

 and capable of a high polish. Buckthorn is also 

 extremely strong aiu) can be smoothly polished, 

 ;uid, iu addition, large (lUiintities exist readily 

 accessible. The madrona is ronsidered as a fair 

 prospective substitute in that it closel,v resem- 

 bles pearwood, from which a fair grade of shut- 

 tles are made. The smooth grain and great 

 hardness of yew and ciilnquapin .suggest the 

 practicability of their utilization. 



