HARDWOOD RECORD 



15 



must join in bearing whatever burdens it may add, and all will 

 share in its benefits. However much men may havq mistrusted 

 the measure in the past, no man who is a friend of prosperity 

 wants the measure to prove a failure, since it has become the law 

 of the land. 



Fortunately, there is a disposition to accept the measure in good 

 faith, .Tnd that will contribute a great deal to its ultimate success. 



Comments on Kiln-Drying 



THK AKTICLE OX PA(;K 2i oiititled "Scientific Lumber Dry- 

 ing'' contains much valuable and authentic information on 

 the structure of wood. Tne history of attempts at hastening the 

 (Irjing of lumber is also of considerable interest. The body of the 

 argument, however, seems to Hardwood Record to have too much 

 of what is familiarly known as a "punch.'' Usually the punch 

 contains a spice of exaggeration. 



As to the merits of the type of kiln which the writer of the 

 article commends, H.\rdwood Record would raise no question. 

 Judging by the thoroughness with which the writer handles his 

 subject, he seems to be sure of his ground, but it is a fact that 

 all of the other methods are still in use and in numerous cases are 

 being successfully applied. No method achieves good results with- 

 out competent application. 



The smoking process to-day is furnishing a fairly good article 

 of short leaf yellow pine; in fact, when reasonable care is exercised 

 a very rich color is attained. 



The bake-oven kiln, or a modification of it, is being used with 

 reasonable success on western woods. The factor of humidity 

 must, of necessity, enter into its operation, for the moisture 

 extracted from the lumber must be taken up by the surround- 

 ing air. 



It would seem that the temperature and humidity in a blower 

 kiln could be controlled by the speed of the fan, and in the con- 

 densing kiln temperature and humidity can be controlled by the 

 volume of colli "nater passed through the condensing pipes. 



Kilns operated on the moist air principle, in which ventilation 

 and humidity are controlled by dampers, are doing good work. 



The theory of the expansion kiln seems plausible enough, but is 

 a little too deep. 



One point in the kiln-dryinig of lumber that seems of a good 

 deal of importance is not touched upon, and that is the piling 

 of the lumber. It does seem that the loosely piled load will dry 

 faster than the one that is closely stacked. 



Isn 't the capacity of a kiln determined by the amount of dry 

 Inmber it delivers rather than by the number of feet that can be 

 crowded into it? 



A Valuable Opportunity 



A GOOD DEAL IS HEARD from time to time on the subject 

 of the inroads which substitutes are making on the uses of 

 wood. Lumbermen well understand that their business is menaced. 

 The manufacturer of the fiber box probably views the problem 

 with more concern t-han some of the others, because of his direct 

 competition with the fiber container; but most manufacturers of 

 wooden articles are aware that aggressive rivals are after the 

 business. ^ 



Talks, lectures, and articles in newspapers and magazines are 

 not always on the lumberman 's side of the question, and if they 

 were, he needs something more tangible than talk if he is to con- 

 vince the great body of wood users that substitutes are poor 

 economy. Object lessons are wanted. The opportunity to give 

 these lessons is coming. It is an opportunity which never came 

 before, nor was it ever before so greatly needed as it now is. It 

 is the Forest Products Exposition which will open in Chicago next 

 April and will follow in New York. 



That exhibition has not been designed as a place of amusement. 

 It may lack some of the novelty devices and scenic effects which 

 nsnally draw crowds at great shows; but it has a serious purpose 

 which ought to attract. It will be educational. It will show what 

 no other exposition in the world has ever shown — the products of 

 the forests prepared for the needs and ])lcasures of man. Many 



people have been led to believe that lumber has become scarce 

 and must soon fail to supply the country's needs, and that sub- 

 stitutes must be sought. That idea should be combatted. Timber 

 is not as plentiful as it once was, but lumber is still abundant, 

 and there is enough to supply the people, meet all their wants, 

 and some to spare. The only condition is that waste must be 

 lessened. 



Let the exposition show how that is being done. Let it further 

 show that the warning cry against exhaustion in the near future 

 need alarm no one, provided available resources are wisely used. 

 Substitutes have made much of their headway because their manu- 

 facturers have been more aggressive than the manufacturers of 

 wood. 



If the stress of circumstances crowds wood from places which 

 it once held, it should seek other uses. The search need not be 

 far or long. Demand exists, or may be created, for all the woods 

 which should be cut and marketed. The general public 's opinion 

 of the produ(;ts of the forest will become more favorable upon 

 more intimate acquaintance. 



What the Conservation Congress Accomplished 



AMONG THE FUl'KTEEN HUNDRED DELEGATES present 

 in Washington at the Fifth National Conservation Congress 

 were more foresters than had ever heretofore attended any similar 

 meeting in this country. The forestry work accomplished, as 

 evidenced by the twelve printed reports in pamphlet form pre- 

 pared under the direction of the forestry committee, is considerec? 

 by forestry experts and lumbermen to be the best work that up 

 to this time has been done for American forestry and lumbering. 

 These results alone would justify all the effort that has been made 

 and the presence in Washington of such a representative body 

 of men. 



The adoption by the Conservation congress of the recommenda- 

 tions unanimously presented by its committee on water power 

 was a long step forward in the development of a definite govern- 

 mental policy, recognizing clearly the principle of Federal con- 

 trol; and also recognizing clearly the necessity of offering to the 

 investor opportunity to invest his time and money in the develop- 

 ment of water power under conditions which safeguard both thfe 

 public interest and his investment. 



The committee on water power comprised ten men exceptionally 

 qualified by knowledge of this subject in all its aspects. Under 

 the able chairmanship of Dr. George F. Swain, president of the 

 American Society of Civil Engineers, it worked out and presented 

 not a mer: declaration of principles, but concrete and specific 

 recommendations which should be of great value to the govern- 

 ment in framing the legislation that is needed to convert the 

 present comparative inactivity in water power development into 

 a period of active conservation by use. 



The fact that a committee comprised, not only of professional 

 experts of the highest distinction some of whom are actively asso- 

 ciated with the water power interests, but also such men as 

 e.xSecretary Henry L. Stimson, Gifford Pinchot and Lewis B. 

 Stillwell, was able to agree upon a definite and constructive pro- 

 gram and that this program received the emphatic endorsement of 

 the Conservation congress is a demonstration of the public spirit 

 of the committee and the ability of the congress to accomplish 

 effective and constructive work. All true conservationists will 

 hope that our national government will promptly enact the legis- 

 lation that is so greatly needed. 



Testing Philippine Woods 



MANUFACTURERS IN THIS COUNTRY arc constantly mak- 

 ing inquiries regarding the availability of woods of the 

 Philippine islands for furniture, finish, handle, vehicles and other 

 commodities, and it has developed that little is known on the 

 subject. Many inquiries have received short answers because all 

 information on the subject can often be embodied in a few words. 

 Announcement was recently made that arrangements had been 

 completed between the head of the Philippine forest service at 

 Manila and the director of the Forest Products Laboratorv at 



